Audubon Zoo welcomes a newborn primate to their zoo family.
The mandrill, which is a monkey once classified as a baboon, is the second offspring for mother “Jinx”, and father “Mapema”. The newborn will join sibling “Kofola” who was born in 2018.
“Jinx is taking great care of the infant, nursing it and making sure it's holding on securely as she moves around,” said Curator of Louisiana Swamp and Jaguar Jungle Liz Wilson. “Mapema is being an awesome dad, sticking close to Jinx and the infant as well as spending time with Kofola.”
The Audubon Institute says deforestation in the Congo/Nigeria region has put mandrills on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's vulnerable species list.
Adult male mandrills are known for their distinctively bright colors used to attract females.