THE team at Belfast Zoo are celebrating the birth of a tiny red titi monkey.
The new arrival was born to mum Inca and dad Aztec on January 26, but pictures of the baby monkey have been released this weekend in honour of Mother’s Day.
And it seems mother Inca will be enjoying the perfect day - as her partner will be undertaking all the parenting duties for their newborn, apart from nursing the little one.
New mother Inca with the latest addition to her titi monkey familyThe Belfast Zoo team explained: “Inca will be having a relaxing Mother’s Day while Aztec has his hands full, as male titi monkeys play a very active role in parenting and are the main childcare providers.”
They went on to explain the day to day parenting that is carried out by the titi monkey pair – who now have four little monkeys - which sees Aztec undertaking the main caring role, carrying the infant on his back and only returning it to mum in time for nursing.
The infant will cling to Aztec and Inca for approximately four to five months and, for this reason, keepers have been unable to confirm the gender or name of the latest arrival.
Zoo curator, Julie Mansell, said “Belfast Zoo has been home to red titi monkeys since 2010 when Inca and Aztec arrived from London Zoo and Blackpool Zoo respectively, as part of the collaborative breeding programme.
“Red titi monkeys are an unusual primate, as they are monogamous and mate for life. Aztec and Inca can often be seen sitting or sleeping with their tails intertwined. The pair welcomed their first daughter in July 2011 and have continued to build their family in subsequent years. With the latest arrival, BelfastZoo is now home to a total of six red titi monkeys.”
As their name suggests, these primates have red, fluffy fur and a small grey face.
The species is found in the rainforests of South America including Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Venezuela and Peru.
