Studying Infant Development in African Monkeys

Posted at 2:11 pm on May 24, 2007 by Conservation & Science Staff
In Conservation & Science

Conservation & Science staff at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo have been studying the development of two rare African monkeys: an Allen's swamp monkey and a Wolf's guenon, both born in 2006 in the Primate, Cat and Aquatics Building.
- by Grace Fuller

The Zoo added two new rare African monkeys to its collection last fall when births occurred in family groups of Allen's swamp monkey and Wolf's guenons housed in the Primate, Cat & Aquatics building. Conservation and Science staff have been studying the development of these infants since their births. At eight months, the swamp monkey infant, a male called Peate, is still nursing but otherwise is almost completely independent from mother, Fern. Much of his time is spent playing with older brother Moss. Swamp monkeys are good swimmers, and Peate has recently taken his first dips in the large plastic tub the keepers occasionally place in the exhibit. At nine months, the Wolf's guenon infant spends most of his time playing as well, although he is almost always under the watchful eye of his protective mother, Brie. We'll keep collecting behavioral data on both infants until they reach one year of age in order to examine when independence is fully attained and how social relationships develop among these new additions and their family groups.