Drusillas Park near Alfriston has announced its newest member of the zoo is making excellent progress - but still needs a name.
The critically endangered Sulawesi crested macaque was born on June 22nd to mum, Kera and dad, Moteck.
Head Zookeeper, Gemma Romanis, commented:
“We are chuffed to bits to confirm that both mum and baby are making excellent progress, and we are starting to see baby out and about bravely exploring.
"Kera is a brilliant mother; she was a total natural with her first born, Mango – who was born at Drusillas three years ago - and she’s proving herself once again with the new little one. We are really proud of Moteck too; it is great to see him getting really stuck in as a dad again.”
“As well as being totally adorable, the cause for celebration is that much more when we successfully breed a critically endangered species at Drusillas.”
“The healthy arrival of this pair’s second baby provides a crucial boost for the macaque population, and we’re all really proud to play our part in keeping this beautiful primate from extinction.”
“Our visitors chose Mango’s name back in 2018, so we’d like to carry on the tradition and call on our supporters to find a name for his sibling” Gemma continued, “we haven’t confirmed the sex of the baby yet, so perhaps another ‘fruity’ name would work well!”
Drusillas told us why their new macaque is so important:
The Sulawesi black crested macaque is categorised as critically endangered in the wild, and is one of over 20 different endangered and rare species living at the East Sussex Zoo. Sadly the macaque population has declined by 80% over the last 40 years. The principal threat to their survival is over-hunting for meat. In Indonesia the macaque is considered a delicacy, and is often served for special occasions. Deforestation is another major threat to the species, with large areas of their habitat now being cleared for coconut plantations, garden plots and roads.
Many of the animals at Drusillas are involved in breeding programmes, often monitored by studbook keepers, to ensure the future survival of the species.
Primates in particular are a cause for concern due to the threat of extinction in the wild. Drusillas is proud to be doing their part to safeguard the species and ensure that these amazing monkeys do not become extinct.
Drusillas is asking their supporters for name suggestions on social media.
Details of how to add your suggestion, alongside photos and videos of the pink-faced tot can be found on the Park’s Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/drusillaspark.
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