Photo: Ethan Riepl/Saint Louis Zoo
Rhubarb the Francois' langur is just one month old, but she already knows how to make an entrance.
According to a release from the Saint Louis Zoo, all Francois' langurs are born with bright orange fur. In the wild, this stunning hue helps the adult female members of a langur group — who help raise the young in a behavior known as “allomothering” — keep track of newborn monkeys. At about six months old, most young langurs have fully transitioned to their adult coat of black fur.
Ethan Riepl/Saint Louis Zoo
“Dolly has been a phenomenal mother and, through the benefit of her having a great relationship with the keeper staff, has been incredibly accommodating to the supportive care that she and Rhubarb needed to get back on track,” said zoo primate keeper Ethan Riepl. “She deserves all the credit in the world for our success.”
Per the Saint Louis Zoo, the Francois' langur is an endangered species native to tropical forests of Southeast Asia. It is estimated that 50% of all Francois' langurs in the wild have disappeared within the past few decades, with hunting and habitat destruction powering the population decline.
source: people.com
