The pitter-patter of tiny feet can be heard in the treetops of Taronga Zoo, thanks to the recent birth of a François’ Langur monkey. This happy news is even more remarkable as this breed is one of the rarest in the world, with just 3,000 François’ Langurs left in the wild.
Like all babies of this type of monkey, which are native to China and Vietnam, the zoo’s latest addition has distinctive red hair, which will darken as it matures to match the jet-black colour of its mother.
In addition to being so indescribably cute we can barely contain ourselves, the week-old and as yet unnamed baby is also proving a fascinating opportunity for the Taronga conservationists studying these animals’ behaviour. François’ Langurs live in communities that share parenting responsibilities, with each female of the group taking turns to care for the little one.
You can see this adorable bundle of joy for yourself from today, but if that’s not enough cute to be going on with, be sure to also visit Taronga’s other recent arrivals: a group of capybaras. There are even sessions once a day when visitors can enter the enclosure of these South American rodents and meet them face to face. Details are available on the Taronga Zoo website.