Monkey business as zoo reopens
Keepers will be showing off a very special arrival when Edinburgh Zoo opens tomorrow after lockdown.
L’hoest’s monkeys Sheli and Jamal welcomed a new baby last month during the zoo’s closure so this will be the first chance to catch a glimpse of the little cutie – and for the monkey to get used to crowds of visitors. Animal keeper Jennifer Appleyard said: “The baby was born in May but has been clinging so tightly to its mum that we haven’t yet managed to establish the sex yet so haven’t given it a name. “But we hope to do this over the coming weeks when it will likely become more independent and spend some time away from her side. Sheli is a first-time mum so understandably she’s very protective of her newborn. They have a strong bond and we wouldn’t want to jeopardise that. “But she has taken to being a new mum like a duck to water and seemstoloveit.”
Jennifer added: “This baby is the first new arrival in this species for a long time and certainly in my time in primates. The baby’s dad, Jamal, was our last baby.heissixthisyear. “The new addition has certainly caused some excitement within the staff and we think it will with visitors too when the zoo reopens this week.”
The zoo is putting social distancing measures in place including a one-way system, perspex screens and animal print face masks.
The visitors arriving tomorrow will cheer up some of the zoo’s most famous residents.
In April, we told how the penguins usually on parade at Scotland’s most famous zoo were missing the company of crowds.
For just the second time since 1951, the zoo has been forced to pause the famous black-and-white show while safety measures are put in place.