Ruby Baby Mandrill
Another day in Fort Worth means the announcement of another birth of a baby animal at the Fort Worth Zoo. This time, it’s the mandrills — those seemingly baboon-like monkeys with bright red and blue faces — doing their part to procreate a whole lotta cuteness at one of the nation’s top zoos.
According to a press release, the female monkey, who the zoo has dubbed Ruby, was born Jan. 11, which marks the first mandrill born at the zoo since 1995 — and only the third such birth in the zoo’s history. The name Ruby serves as a colorful nod to her mother, Scarlett, who appears to have taken to motherhood like a duck to water. According to the release, Scarlett and Ruby immediately formed a healthy bond, with Ruby continuously holding tight to her mom as she moves about the mandrill’s indoor habitat. Because of this, Ruby has yet to be measured or weighed, but the zoo estimates her weight to be around 2 pounds — about the size of a pineapple.
Mandrills live in a small geographical region, smaller than the size of Texas, in west Africa — an area that consists of Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, and parts of Cameroon. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the mandrill is listed as a vulnerable species, with a total population that is suspected to have decreased more than 30% over the last 24 years due to hunting and habitat destruction.
“Ruby’s birth contributes to a diverse, genetically healthy population of mandrills among U.S. zoos,” the Fort Worth Zoo said in a statement, “and ensures their survival for future generations.”
If you’re interested in catching a glimpse of Ruby, you can do so at the zoo’s World of Primates habitat, where she’ll likely be snuggled close to mom.
