Zoo celebrates ‘absolutely lovely’ birth of endangered animal

A zoo is celebrating a very special arrival in the form of an endangered monkey baby.

Drusillas’ Colombian black spider monkey family welcomed a healthy baby girl at the beginning of April, marking an important contribution to the species’ conservation.

The birth marks an exciting milestone for the group, who settled into their purpose-built habitat after arriving at Drusillas Park, near Alfriston, in October last year. Since then, they have thrived in their new home, delighting visitors with their cheeky and fun personalities.

The tiny infant is the first offspring for mum Moa since arriving at the Park in October 2025. At just a few weeks old, the newborn is still clinging tightly to mum.

The new baby (Image: Drusillas)

As she grows over the coming months, keepers expect the young monkey to slowly become more confident, eventually beginning to explore her surroundings, play with siblings, and develop the strength and coordination needed, but for now, she is happiest right where she belongs, safe in mum’s arms.

Colombian black spider monkeys are a highly intelligent and social species, native to the rainforests of Colombia. Classified as ‘vulnerable’ on the IUCN Red List, they face increasing threats in the wild due to habitat loss and fragmentation. Successful births like this play an important role in conservation breeding programmes, helping to safeguard the future of the species.

Zoo manager Mark Kenward shared his delight at the new arrival.

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“It’s been absolutely lovely to welcome a baby spider monkey to the park,” he said.

“Moa is proving to be a fantastic mum, and it’s been wonderful to see how the whole group has come together around her. There’s a real sense of shared interest – even though the baby is still very small and staying close to mum, the others are always nearby, watching and learning. It’s a brilliant example of how important these early social bonds are within the group, and exactly the kind of natural behaviour we hope to see.”

The new baby can often be seen in the arms of its mum (Image: Drusillas)

The wider family group, consisting of dad Mo, mum Jamundi, two children Ernie and one-year-old Dilly, and of course, new mum Moa, have been quick to show interest in their newest member. For spider monkeys, the arrival of a baby is very much a shared family event, bringing the group closer together and strengthening their already strong social bonds.

“We’ve already seen the family gathering nearby Moa and baby,” said Mr Kenward.

“It’s wonderful to see them watching intently and learning from Moa’s careful, constant attention. These early observations form the foundation of future maternal skills, particularly for the younger family members, giving them valuable insight into how to care for an infant.”

The zoo’s team now wants the public to help them name the new arrival. A shortlist of names has been carefully selected by keepers, drawing inspiration from the baby’s Colombian heritage with Spanish choices such as Blanca, Bonita, Olaya and Kaya, alongside Kendall – a playful nod to one of her keepers, Megan Kendall. The public can cast their vote for their favourite name via Drusillas’ social media channels.

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