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The Greenville Zoo welcomed a male black and white colobus monkey January 30 � the second
successful birth at the zoo for parents Lami and Valentino. The colobus monkeys are part of a Species Survival
Plan, a program of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) designed to maintain genetic diversity among
species outside the wild.A newborn colobus monkey is born all-white and can be seen clinging to his mother, providing a rare and striking visual for zoo visitors. �The birth of this threatened species is an extraordinary event, and we are thrilled to be able to share it with the community,� said Jeff Bullock, Greenville Zoo Director. �The baby colobus monkey had a successful routine physical and is adapting extremely well in his new environment. We hope with the warmer temperatures, the public will have the opportunity to see him quite a bit as he makes his debut.� Born a year after his brother, the baby colobus birth was a surprise for zoo staff. Plans had been underway for a birthday celebration and a �Name the Baby� contest for the zoo�s 1-year old colobus monkey. With the new addition, zoo staff will delay the announcement of the baby naming contest winner and open it for additional submissions for the new baby. Name suggestions must be submitted by March 12, 2010 to [email protected] or mailed to: Name the Baby Contest, Greenville Zoo, 150 Cleveland Park Drive, Greenville, SC 29601. The names will be selected by zoo staff, and the winners will be announced at a celebration at the zoo in late March. The winners of the contest will receive a basket valued over at over $200 which includes a Peacock Zoo Membership and other gifts. About the colobus monkey: Native to Africa, the black and white colobus monkey is the most arboreal of all African monkeys and rarely descends to the ground. It uses branches as trampolines, jumping up and down on them to get liftoff for leaps of up to 50 feet. The name colobus is derived from the Greek word for �mutilated,� because unlike other monkeys, colobus monkeys do not have thumbs. Colobus monkeys are strictly leaf-eaters and spend most of their time in treetops, preferring to eat the tender young leaves. The infant colobus monkey begins gaining its black and white adult coloration at about 3 months. About the Greenville Zoo: Rated one of the best tourist attractions in South Carolina, the Greenville Zoo is an exotic animal kingdom located in downtown Greenville. Operated by the City of Greenville, the 14-acre facility features wildlife from around the world including giraffes, monkeys, giant tortoises and elephants. Visitors can also enjoy one of the zoo�s most popular exhibits, the Reptile Building, which is home to a variety of lizards, frogs, turtles and snakes. Additional attractions include Cleveland Park which features a children�s playground, picnic tables, walking paths and plenty of wide open green spaces. For more information about the Greenville Zoo, visit www.greenvillezoo.com. (Image provided by the Greenville Zoo.)
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