Mueller’s Gibbon Hylobates muelleri
A native to Borneo, the Mueller’s Gibbon moves through the trees by swinging from branch to branch. These small apes feed on ripe fruit, and help to disperse seeds throughout the forests.
Our Mueller’s Gibbons: Lance (Male): 1/7/1993 Emily (Female): 3/21/1988
White- Handed Gibbon
Hylobates lar The white-handed gibbon is a species of ape found throughout South East Asia. Their colors can range from tan, brown, or black in both males and females. Gibbons pairs will often duet in the mornings to communicate with other groups. Our White-Handed Gibbons: Hosen (Male): 5/7/1985 Connie (Female): 8/19/1990
Sumatran Orangutan Pongo abelii
Orangutans are a large species of primate found in only two places in the entire world, the islands of Borneo and Sumatra. These beautiful red apes, often shy and elusive, are among some of the smartest animals on the planet!
Our Orangutans: Henry (Male): 1/1/1991
Palm Oil and Orangutans In Indonesia, orangutans are losing much of their habitat to the palm oil industry. Huge areas of forest are cleared to make these
plantations.
Palm oil, processed from the oil palm tree, is an ingredient found in one out of every 10 grocery items. Supporting sustainably sourced palm oil can help protect orangutans and their habitats.
DOWNLOAD the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo Sustainable Palm Oil App to help make Orangutan friendly decisions while shopping!
Pygmy Slow Loris Nycticebus pygmaeus This slow-moving, nocturnal, prosimian spends most of its time in the trees. When threatened, lorises produce a secretion that becomes toxic when mixed with their saliva, helping to deter predators. Our Lorises: Cai (Female): 12/6/2010 Lomoth (Male): 9/17/2010 White- faced Saki Pithecia pithecia These small monkeys inhabit the tropical forests of Brazil and Venezuela. Known as the “flying monkey,” sakis have the ability to leap 30ft between branches! Male sakis are black in color, with a stark white face and black snout. Different from the males, females are brownish gray in color throughout their whole body.
Our White-faced Sakis: Penelope (Female): 7/28/2010 Dakota (Male): 7/11/1992 Selva (Female): 7/8/2018
Golden- headed Lion Tamarin Leontopithecus chrysomelas Known for their beautiful golden manes of hair, Golden-headed Lion Tamarins are a small species of monkeys found only in the coastal forests of Brazil. Unique to other primates, these tamarins live in single female, multi-male groups, where the males play a huge role in infant care.
Our Tamarins: Lucio (Male): 10/22/2005 Jovi (Female): 5/27/2012
Lion Tamarin Conservation Success Due to the loss of their native habitats, from urban and agriculture development, Golden Lion Tamarin populations plummeted to as low as 200 in the 1970’s.
In the 1980’s, the National Zoo and their partners began a captive breeding and release program. As of 2003, the Golden- Lion Tamarins were downgraded from Critically Endangered to Endangered.
It is estimated that around 1,500 tamarins are living in the wild, with an additional 450 residing in zoos around the world. Because of zoos, the future for lion tamarins is much brighter.
ZOOS SAVE SPECIES WITH SCIENCE!
Black Howler Monkey Alouatta caraya Known for their booming vocalizations, howler monkeys howl to defend their territory from outsider groups. Male black howlers are larger in size and all black in color compared to the more golden-brown females.
Our Howler Monkey’s: Hayden (Female): 12/10/2015 Helen (Female): 12/28/1994
Coquerel’s Sifaka Propithecus coquereli
Sometimes referred to as the “dancing sifaka,” the sifaka lemur moves through a unique form of locomotion called vertical clinging and leaping. They can leap distances of over 30 ft! Sifakas tend to live in small social groups, where the females are dominant to the males.
Our Sifakas: Bobby (Male): 9/3/2012 Andri (Male): 11/16/2013
Bonobo Pan paniscus
Bonobos, like chimps, are one of our closest living relatives, sharing over 98% of the same DNA. Our Bonobos: Vernon (Male): 1/30/1972 Lana (Female): 4/13/1979 Vergil (Male): 1/24/1994 Vim (Male): 9/5/1995 Zanga (Female): 1/9/1999 Kimia (Female): 6/13/1999 Kesi (Female): 8/15/2004 Kenge (Female): 11/6/2009 Zeke (Male): 3/29/2010 Kibibi (Female): 11/17/2013 Bolingo (Male): 3/16/2015
Coltan Mining and Bonobos Bonobos are Endangered, with populations continuing to decline. It is estimated as few as 50,000 individuals remain. A large reason for this is the loss of habitat due to the mining of coltan.
Coltan is an ore that is an essential component of many electronic devices, including cellphones. To get coltan, large areas of forest must be cleared and the remaining soil mined to extract the valuable ore. This puts bonobos in great danger.
By RECYCLING old cell phones, we can reduce the demand for mining coltan and help protect habitat in the wild for bonobos and other wildlife. The Cincinnati Zoo has collected and recycled over 70,000 cellphones!
Angolan Colobus Monkey Colobus angolensis
An oddity among other primate species, Colobus Monkeys actually lack thumbs! This special adaptation allows them to have almost hook like hands to help swing in the trees. They are also amazing leapers, and can jump over 30 feet at a time!
Our Monkeys: Don King (Male): 10/29/1995 Cindy (Female): 7/4/2000
Potto Perodictus potto
Using their powerful clamp like hands and feet, pottos move slowly through the forest trees, rarely coming to the ground. When frightened, pottos will freeze and hold very still to blend in, potentially for hours at a time! While slow moving, pottos can quickly catch small prey animals when needed.
Our Pottos: Otto (Male): 12/14/2015
Garnett’s Galago Otolemur garnetti
The Garnett’s galago is also commonly known as the Greater Bushbaby due to its territorial vocalizations that sound like a child’s cry. These small, nocturnal, prosimians leap through the forest trees with amazing agility. Their large eyes help them to navigate in low light settings.
Our Galagos: Sandy (Female): 11/20/2000
Grey Bamboo Lemur Hapalemur griseus
Like its name would imply, the bamboo lemurs feed mainly on bamboo, a plant which contains high amounts of toxic cyanide. Bamboo lemurs can eat these plants without experiencing its poisoning effects! Bamboo lemurs live in small groups of around four individuals, they often rely on scent marking to communicate with each other and rival groups.
Our Grey Bamboo Lemur: Lil Bit (Female): 4/6/1999
“You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.”
“Only if we understand, can we care. Only if we care, we will help. Only if we help, shall all be saved.”
Aye-Aye Daubentonia madagascariensis
A very unique species of lemur, the aye-aye plays a similar role to woodpeckers in the forests of Madagascar. Aye-ayes are percussion foragers, they tap on the trees with their long and thin middle fingers to locate insects inside. Once found, aye-ayes use their rodent-like teeth to gnaw through the bark, and spear the larva with their finger.
Our Aye-ayes: Medea (Female): 9/10/2004 Nify (Male): 6/21/2008