See mom cradle baby monkey at Utah zoo. ‘Her love for him is palpable’
A newborn colobus monkey is sticking close to his mom as he “begins to take in the sights, sounds, and smells of his new environment” in Utah, officials said.
The baby was born March 30 at Utah’s Hogle Zoo in Salt Lake City, zoo officials announced April 9. In video posted to Facebook and Instagram, the baby can be seen cradled in the arms of his mom, Violet, 11, who’s been at the zoo since 2017, officials said.
Commenters seemed to love that.
“Her love for him is palpable,” one person wrote on Facebook.
“She loves her baby boy!” another Facebook commenter wrote.
On Instagram, a commenter wrote that “mom and baby are beautiful.”
The baby’s dad is Sefu, 17, according to zoo officials.
Sefu and Violet have had three offspring together, including the newborn, zoo officials said.
While Violet is a doting mom, other monkeys in the troop also are helping keep an eye on the new addition, zoo officials said.
“Colobus monkeys engage in a behavior called alloparenting, where females in the troop share in the care of infants,” according to zoo officials. “Alloparenting allows young female colobus monkeys without babies to observe and practice maternal care. While others may carry and handle the baby, the mom stays closely attuned – especially when responding to his cries.”
This story was originally published April 11, 2025 at 3:52 PM with the headline "See mom cradle baby monkey at Utah zoo. ‘Her love for him is palpable’."
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