Cute Newborn Baby Monkey Is Star Attraction At Zoo

This adorable baby monkey is the new star attraction at an innovative zoo which puts visitors at the heart of the action.

People are flocking to see the Gabon talapoin (Miopithecus ogouensis) at the Bioparc Valencia in the city of Valencia in eastern Spain.

The Gabon talapoin is considered the smallest monkey in Africa, being only 32 to 45 centimetres (12 to 18 inches) long from head to tail.

The species is threatened by animal trafficking as they are popular as pets because of their small size.

So the new arrival is being celebrated at the zoo which aims to immerse visitors into the animals’ habitat and not the other way around.

It uses natural features, such as rivers, ponds, streams and rocks to separate visitors from the animals, instead of the cages and railings.

Both of the baby monkey’s parents came to the zoo after being seized from animal traffickers.

Mother Pili arrived in 2012 from a rescue centre in the nearby town of Denia, while father Bibas, arrived last year from a centre in the city of
Alicante.

The Gabon talapoin has not been widely studied, and was not even named until 1997, so wildlife experts are delighted at the opportunity to study the new family.

The zoo which is also home to three other family units, as well as a group of single males.

Bioparc Valencia is one of only four zoos, along with Spanish zoos in Fuengirola and Barcelona, and one in the Czech Republic capital of Prague, to successfully breed the species in captivity.

The breeding groups in Valencia are kept out of sight of visitors so keepers can ensure their environment is as it should be and they are not disturbed.

The species has a red ranking from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) because of its vulnerability from animal trafficking.

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