UPI – A zoo in New York, United States celebrated the arrival of two patas monkey babies, both half-sisters, who are now being hand-raised by their caretakers.
The Rosamond Gifford Zoo in Syracuse announced that Iniko, a monkey, gave birth to a female named Sisu on April 26, followed by her older sister, Kasi, who welcomed a baby girl named Mushu on May 11. The father of both infants is Mac, the leader of the zoo’s patas troop.
The zoo said in a news release that both monkey mothers “struggled to demonstrate maternal instincts necessary to raise their young”, so both babies are being hand-raised by zookeepers.
“We are so glad to welcome these primate newborns to our zoo, and are fortunate to have such an amazing zoo to call home,” County Executive Ryan McMahon said.
“The animal care team’s diligent work has ensured little Sisu and Mushu have a safe and healthy future.”
Zoo officials said patas monkeys have a high infant mortality rate in the wild, and it is not uncommon for mothers to be “uninterested in or incapable of raising their young”.
“Given the adversity that this species faces with reproduction, Iniko and Kasi’s babies are an exceptional contribution to the zoo’s patas monkey troop and the North American population,” Zoo Executive Director Ted Fox said.
“Since the babies are so significant, our primate specialists took action to protect these little patas babies and safeguard their health so we can reach our ultimate goal of having them eventually join the rest of our patas troop.”
