ST. LOUIS — Cuteness alert! The Saint Louis Zoo has welcomed its first Francois’ langur monkey ever to be born at the zoo.
The “pumpkin-haired” monkey, named Rhubarb, arrived on Sept. 30, just in time for Halloween, to mom Dolly and dad Deshi.
According to the zoo, the Francois’ langur species of monkey are born with bright orange hair. Adult female Francois’ langurs will assist in carrying for young langurs, which is referred to as “allomothering.” The baby’s colors help the adults keep track of newborns, the zoo said in a press release.
After about six months, they will transition to adult coloring, which is mostly black.
Shortly after giving birth, Dolly developed some health issues and both she and Rhubarb required round-the-clock care and supplemental feedings. Thankfully, Dolly is now able to fully care for and feed Rhubarb on her own.
The zoo said the bond between the two of them is strong.
“Dolly has been a phenomenal mother,” Ethan Riepl, Francois’ langur species survival plan vice coordinator, said in the release.
The pair was recently introduced to other langurs, including 15-year-old Sydney, who will help take care of Rhubarb every now and then.
"For any species like langurs that practice allomothering, proper maternal care is an important skill for females to learn and to gain experience in,” Riepl said. “With this being our first ever langur birth here at the Saint Louis Zoo, Rhubarb has been a valuable addition to our langur troop and has provided both Dolly and Sydney with a great opportunity to develop those skills.”
