Join us in welcoming Zoo Knoxville’s newest BRIGHT ORANGE troop member! Born on Dec. 12, it is the third Silvered Leaf langur baby to be welcomed to Zoo Knoxville since they began working with the species in 2017.

The infant is healthy and nursing and being closely monitored to ensure it continues to thrive. Langur babies will keep their striking bright orange coloring for three to six months, then begin to transition to darker fur like the other members of their group.

It has not been determined if the yet-to-be-named infant is a boy or a girl. The zoo’s family of silvered leaf langurs, made up of males Walter and Opie, and females Teagan, Melody, Lucy and Coda, who will all help care for the infant, a social practice called allomothering.

Zoo Knoxville is part of the Silvered Leaf Langur Species Survival Plan, (SSP), which is a collaborative national conservation program in U.S. zoos accredited by The Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Slivered leaf langurs are threatened in their native range in Borneo and Sumatra, and the southwestern Malay peninsula. Their habitat is being destroyed by logging and the development of palm oil plantations. The species is also threatened by hunting and the illegal pet trade. One of the best ways to support conservation of langurs and other animals impacted by palm oil farming is to purchase products made with sustainable palm oil. Download the “Sustainable Palm Oil Shopping” app created by Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Google Play or Apple App Store to check if the product you are about to purchase is “langur friendly”.