Endangered Monkey Born At Oklahoma City Zoo

An endangered Francois langur has been born at the Oklahoma City Zoo, the zoo announced in a press release.

The langur, born on Jan. 28, has not yet been named or gendered, the zoo says.

The langur's parents, Pam and Ripley, have been with the zoo for a few years.

“Pam and Ripley came to OKC in 2021 with a breeding recommendation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan ®. We have been working on maternal training with Pam since we knew she was a first-time mom,” said OKC Zoo’s Assistant Curator of Primates, Pace Frank. “Our team came in Sunday morning to find Pam holding the baby and being very attentive.”

Langurs are endangered by hunting and habitat destruction, and their mature population is around 2,000 in southeast Asia.

The langurs primarily eat leaves.

“Caretakers need to cut a lot of browse and provide leaves year-round for the majority of their diet,” Frank said. “The Zoo's partnership with OG&E has helped supply leaves for the langurs throughout the spring and summer. Primate caretakers even trim and freeze leaves so the langurs have them throughout the winter.”