Macaque in the baby making business, meet Fota’s new arrival
NOT to be outshone by Dublin Zoo – which earlier this week celebrated the birth of a scimitar-horned oryx under its conservation breeding programme – Cork’s Fota Wildlife Park is popping the champagne corks after its first birth of a lion-tailed Macaque monkey in more than four years.
Proud mother Tish and father Mauzer welcomed the new arrival after the birth under the European Endangered Species Programme.
The lion-tailed macaque is one of the most endangered of the Asian primate species. Lead ranger Teresa Power said: ‘We really are thrilled at the arrival of this new baby. Fota has a long and very successful history with this endangered species, as they are known to be difficult to keep and breed. The species first arrived at Fota Wildlife Park in 1986 from Dublin Zoo and they first bred here in 1988. Since then, Fota-born macaques have been sent to many zoos worldwide as part of the EEP.
‘The lion-tailed macaque breeding group at Fota is considered one of the most successful in Europe, with over 40 born here so far.’
Fota Wildlife Park is appealing to the public to help name the new baby.
However, there is a snag – Fota staff cannot tell whether the new arrival is male or female as new mother Tish is keeping the baby very close, too close for rangers to determine the infant’s sex.
Indigenous to the Western Ghats in southern India, the lion-tailed macaque is of conservation concern due to its small numbers in the natural habitats.
Only 1% of their original habitat remains because of timber harvesting and agriculture.