On 16th April 2024, female Colombian black spider monkey, Cheekaboo, welcomed her 7th offspring!
Cheekaboo is an experienced mum and has been doing a great job of caring for the little one alongside her other daughters, Chilli and Cherry, and dad, Julius.
Chilli, aged 7 years old, and Cherry, aged 3 years old, have both been very inquisitive about their new sibling, and Julius has been a fantastic dad, helping look after the baby whilst cuddling with Cheekaboo.
Emily, Primate Keeper at Colchester Zoo“The baby is still only a few weeks old, so we don’t yet know whether we have a baby girl or boy, but we will be looking out over the next month to see what name suits best.”
Colombian black spider monkeys get their name from their spider-like appearance, due to their disproportionately long limbs. Their prehensile tail is used as an additional limb and can support their whole body weight whilst climbing. Colombian black spider monkey babies have pink faces and ears when they are born but gradually develop dark hair as they grow older.
Emily, Primate Keeper at Colchester Zoo“This birth is really important for the conservation of the species as Colombian black spider monkeys are currently listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, so it’s great news to welcome this new arrival.”
Colombian black spider monkeys come from South-Western Colombia to Eastern Panama and live in dry, humid and cloud forests. They are believed to occupy the greatest range of forest habitats of any Colombian spider monkey.
Although the baby can be tricky to spot, it has been exploring outside, clutching closely to mum, so keep an eye out as you pass their home at Meddelin Monkeys situated opposite Leopards at Ussuri Falls.
UPDATE (13th June 2024):
As our baby spider monkey grows stronger each day, our Animal Care Team have been trying to guess the gender of our new arrival!
UPDATE (21st June 2024):
The results are in and we are pleased to announce the gender and name of our newest Colombian black spider monkey baby! Say hello to Chicory!
