Lincoln Park Zoo Welcomes A Baby Titi Monkey Into The World!
April 18, 2009
Lincoln Park Zoo is celebrating the birth of a primate called the Bolivian gray titi monkey. Native to South American tropical forests, there are less than 50 individuals in accredited zoos. Lincoln Park Zoo has one of the most successful breeding pairs.
The newborn, which has yet to be sexed or named was born on April 9. This is the seventh offspring for parents Delasol and Ocala, and the mother and infant are reportedly doing well.
Bolivian gray titi monkeys are generally monogamous and produce their offspring following a 132 day gestation. They’re unique in that a few days after birth the infants are primarily carried by their father and later by their siblings.
Assistant Curator for Primates at Lincoln Park Zoo Maureen Leahy said, “We have already seen the new infant being carried by the father, Ocala, and two of the other siblings, Suriqui and Madeira.”
Titis do not have prehensile tails like some other South American monkeys. However, when any two or more members of a titi family group sit next to each other, they typically twine their tails together like a braid. This behavior is unique to titis and may serve to reinforce the pair bond and other social relationships within a group. Titis engage in this behavior both awake and asleep.