Philadelphia Zoo Announces Birth of Vulnerable Black-and-White Colobus Monkey, First of This Species Born at the Zoo in 10 Years

Philadelphia Zoo is thrilled to announce the birth of a black-and-white colobus monkey, a species native to central African countries like Uganda, where Philadelphia Zoo is partnering with New Nature Foundation to protect this species in the wild.

The Zoo’s animal care team says the baby born on January 27 is healthy and continues to nurse from mom who’s demonstrating all the right behaviors caring for the baby. This is the first time a baby colobus monkey has been born at the Zoo since 2015. The baby is the first offspring for both 11-year-old mom Tatu and 11-year-old dad Dexter. The sex of the infant has not been determined and the Zoo has not chosen a name. Its birth is a part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Species Survival Plan (SSP) breeding program to ensure the survival of this species and maintain a genetically diverse population. Black-and-white colobus monkeys are listed as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) with threats including habitat loss and hunting.

“Black-and-white colobus monkeys are a great example of a species the Zoo is working to protect both in zoos and in the wild,” says Vice President of Animal Well-Being Rachel Metz. “The Zoo was a founding member of the Colobus Monkey AZA Saving Animals from Extinction (SAFE) program in 2024. The Zoo has supported New Nature Foundation in its efforts to protect habitats in Kibale National Park in Uganda where colobus monkeys are found for more than 20 years. We’re proud to partner with these organizations for a holistic and strategic approach to conservation.”

“We are so excited to have another baby for guests to fall in love with inside PECO Primate Reserve,” says Director of Primates Amy Skokowski. “This is the fourth primate baby born at the Zoo in the last year. This successful outcome is a direct result of the dedication and hard work of our keeper and veterinary teams, and for that, we are so grateful.”

Black-and-white colobus monkeys are born after a 5-6-month gestation. Infants are born completely white and slowly transition to the adult black and white coloring over the first three months of life. Scientists believe this is because this species practices allo-parenting, where the entire family group takes turns caring for the baby. The distinct white fur makes it easier for the group to spot who’s caring for the infant. This also allows young females to learn how to care for babies, making them successful moms in the future.

Black-and-white colobus monkeys are found in the Central African Republic, Uganda, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Kenya, and Tanzania. These monkeys eat mostly leaves, allowing them to consume vegetation other monkeys cannot. The colobus monkeys live in groups of up to 10 individuals, usually composed of one male and a group of related and unrelated males.

The Zoo is home to six colobus monkeys: the new baby, females Zibibu, Dhoruba, and Tatu, and males Mbili and Dexter. You can see members of the family inside PECO Primate Reserve.

New Nature Foundation empowers people to live in greater harmony with nature while meeting their needs in sustainable ways. Part of this work includes giving people the tools to build and use energy efficient stoves and carbonized briquettes made from recycled waste instead of firewood or charcoal that would be taken from trees in Kibale National Park in Uganda. This work not only protects habitat for black and white colobus monkeys, red-tailed monkeys and great blue turacos, three species that live at the Zoo, also for other animals like chimpanzees, elephants, giant forest hogs and countless other species.

Black-and-white colobus monkey facts:

• These black and white monkeys have a mantle of long white hair coming down their shoulders, going around their back in the form of a “U” and ending with a very long black and white tail.
• Their faces are black but covered with white hair and the point of their noses nearly touches the mouth.
• The infant is weaned after a little more than a year. The young become mature at about 4-6 years of age.
• Black-and-white colobus monkeys play an important role in the ecosystem for seed dispersal via their wasteful eating style and digestive system.
• These monkeys live mainly on trees where they leap, swing around and forage for food but they will come down to the ground to feed on plants.

Learn more about black-and-white colobus monkeys here.