Yorkshire Wildlife Park celebrates birth of new baby gelada monkey named after social media vote

The first gelada monkey to be born at Yorkshire Wildlife Park was Kobo’s older brother Azezo, born in 2022.

The new baby monkey, child of Obi and Feven, was named after a vote on social media.

Kobo was born on April 23, a spokesperson for the park said.

Kobo is a town near the Simien Mountains in Ethiopia, where gelada monkeys are native.

Section manager at Yorkshire Wildlife Park Greg Clifton said: “It has been an extremely exciting time seeing the birth of our second gelada Monkey here at the park and definitely a step in the right direction to preserving this incredible species.

“We have been working alongside the EAZA Gelada European Ex situ Programme (EEP) on a number of research projects for years and moments like this it all truly pays off.

“As the youngster grows up it will be exploring the caves and foraging in our ‘Experience Ethiopia’ enclosure here at the park.

“Gelada monkeys are the last surviving species of grazing primates. They eat around a quarter of their body weight in grass every single day, making them a truly fascinating species!

“We have been watching Feven closely for the last six months throughout her pregnancy. Throughout their pregnancy, female geladas get several chin rolls on the neck which get bigger in size. This is also a way of letting the males Geladas know they are pregnant.

“It is very early days for the youngster, but we are looking forward to seeing the new baby grow within the group at the park and hopefully this is the beginning of many more successful births of gelada babies!”

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Yorkshire Wildlife Park works closely with the Wildlife Foundation to rescue and protect some of the world’s rarest and most endangered species of animal.

The 175-acre park offers visitors a unique walk-through experience which brings them almost face to face with some of the world’s most beautiful and at-risk species including black rhinos, tigers and polar bears.