Khabali, a black and white colobus monkey (Guereza kikuyuensis) gave birth on July 21 to a female colobus names Nahja. The father is the patriarch of the troop, known as Old Man. This is Old Man's first baby, and it is important that the patriarch's genes be represented in the group.
The Zoo's black and white colobus never mated in the old primate house. Now, the monkeys have a new home and room to exercise. The also have new diets. "A typical diet for the colobus monkey includes foods such as corn-on-the-cob, sweet potatoes, chopped apples, bell peppers and especially peanuts," said Sonia Holmes, primate keeper. Colobus also eat the leaves of various trees in the exhibit such as bamboo.
Nahja, who is less than three months old, is doing fine, according to Holmes. She appears to be bright and healthy. She was introduces into the monkey troop in August and was watched continuously for 48 hours. The baby is now slowly beginning to grab solids and is hopping around the area. Although Holmes has seen her grabbing leaves and putting them in her mouth, she believes she is only gumming them.
Initially, Kenitra, the monkey's aunt, held the baby until the mother protested. "Niko, another aunt, is the one that people visiting the Zoo will most likely see carrying Nahja," said Holmes.
It is customary for other females to carry the newborn, but when the mother wants the baby, they must give it us. If not, fights between the mother and the other females occur, and the baby might get hurt in the melee.
The entire troop of colobus monkeys is very protective of Nahja. The animal staff had not been able to get near the baby to sex it until it was over one month old. However the growing monkey is already asserting its independence.
"The baby is already starting to venture away from Khabali," said Tammy Oaks. "By three months, she will be zipping around the place."
At birth, Nahja's fur was completely white. Whiten the past month, her hands, feet and eyes have rapidly changed to black. Over time, the coloring process will drastically slow down.
There are two types of black and white colobus, Angolan and the Guereza kikuyuensis. The latter is the type featured in the Memphis Zoo. Both are SSP animals which means they are endangered and their propagation is monitored.
The black and white colobus are fairly easy to breed in captivity. The Zoo has four female and two male colobus monkeys. Niko and Kenitra have each been seen mating with the males, so there could be even more monkeys soon. Old Lady, the oldest female is not very involved with Nahja. The two male colobus monkeys are Old man and Lincoln. Unlike Old Man, Lincoln was not captured in the wild.
"Old Lady and Old Man are the last of the founding group of colobus group of Monkeys," said Connie Phillip, Assistant Curator of Mammals. They were both caught in the wild and represent the wild gene.
Most of the colobus in the wild are located in equatorial Africa. They usually stay about 85 feet up in tall trees, rarely coming to the ground. Colobus live in wild troops and are seldom seen. In both the wild and the zoo, the males are the defenders and represent authority to the females. The females typically baby-sit and have a very strong social structure.
Mark Ferguson, Farm Manager, said that they don't have a run or a back area to check on the animals.
"Whenever the farmhands or I feed or check on the animals, we answer visitor's questions about them," Ferguson said. Interaction is a key part of being an employee at Once Upon A Farm.
All of the employees of the Farm are new to the Memphis Zoo, but most were raised around farm animals. Ferguson joined the Zoo in April to be the Farm Manager and he said he finds his work challenging.
"I am extremely impressed with the Zoo and the Zoo staff," said Ferguson.
Previously, Ferguson worked as a zookeeper and Education Curator for the 15-acre Henson Robinson zoo in Springfield, IL. Where he worked with animals ranging from reptiles to prairie dogs to bears. Although the exotic animals are more difficult to work with, he enjoys working with the domesticated animals because you can get closer to them.
"One misconception people have is that the Farm is not really a Zoo thing, but they are all animals," said Ferguson. The difference is that farm animals aren't only on display, they can also be touched and be used for work." Animals at the farm include prairie dogs, chickens, miniature horses, mini zebu and dexter cattle and pot-bellied pigs.
A Zoo docent since 1988, Laura Vadney is the Once Upon A Farm programmer.
Vadney recalls that when the prairie dogs were introduced to the farm, they make a dash for freedom. Since then, there are daily prairie dog counts to be sure all are present and accounted for.
Though Vadney was not raised on a farm, she is learning more about farm animals and is beginning to work with them. Her duties include planning and presenting all programs, demonstrations and classes and organizing volunteers for the Farm.
"As a programmer, I like the challenge of starting an idea from nothing and turning it into a viable program," she said.
Animals in Once Upon A Farm are different than other zoo animals because visitors are encouraged to touch them. Marvin Stroud, a retired postal worker, began working as a farmhand earlier this year. Working at the Farm brings back childhood memories for Stroud who was raised on a farm for eighteen years before going into the service.
"I enjoy working here just to see the faces of children and adults who touch a farm animal for the first time. It's an amazing reaction," Stroud said.
Stroud and Casey Rollins are the two full-time farmhands at the exhibit. Their duties are the same as any other zookeeper, as they feed the animals and their areas usually twice a day. They enjoy this because it gives them the opportunity to talk to the visitors about the animals and the Farm, said Stroud.
Luanne Scott considers herself a "swinging keeper" for Once Upon A Farm. Scott works two days as a farmhand, two as a programmer and teacher and spends one day preparing for the classes.
"The ambiance of the Farm is great. You are able to pet the animals and interact with the guests too," said Scott.
Farm employees agree the best reward is when children see the animals for the first time.
"It's a look of amazement that a farmhand will never forget", said Stroud.
A new program, with the working title "Nature Did It First," will involve native birds, mammals and reptiles.
"I have seen similar programs showing how nature did things first, but no one in this part of the country has tried it," said Dunlap.
This program will show how animals were the first to do many things. Birds, for example were the first things to fly, not airplanes.
A new program has been created named "Flights of Fancy," which will allow the crowd to observe the natural behavior of birds up close.
"The show will not have the birds in cages and they will not be doing tricks. It was created to show people how birds act in the wild," Friedman said.
Another change this year is the new shade structure for visitors to sit under while watching a show in the amphitheater.
"You will now longer have to sit in the hot, fierce sun to watch the shows," said Friedman. "It will be more enjoyable."
The Zoo will bring back the sea lions show twice a day for the summer. Training the animals is a difficult task, but the keepers have been working had to show visitors some of the things that they would naturally do in the wild.
Shows are a long time tradition of the Memphis Zoo. The purpose is to educate while entertaining Zoo guests.
The Educational staff stresses that Zoo visitors won't see animals walking on tightropes because the Zoo is not a circus. The Zoo wants animals to behave naturally.
Beginning in April, Zoo visitors have the opportunity to see these new shows. The will run on Saturday and Sunday during April and May. Beginning in June and ending around Labor Day, the shows are scheduled for Wednesday through Sunday.
Watch for signs at the entrance and also throughout the Zoo for show times.