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Headline : Capuchin Baby Born At Newquay Zoo
Caption : A white-throated capuchin has been born at Newquay Zoo, it has been announced Wednesday (6 Nov).

The conservation charity is home to a small family of white-throated capuchins; Irazu (mum), Zaito (dad) and younger sibling Benito, who was born back in 2017.

The unnamed and unsexed baby is currently clinging on to mum’s back and will continue to do so for around 3 months, until the infant is old enough to do its own exploring. Capuchin babies mature slowly and are usually taken care of by their mum for the first couple of years; carrying, protecting and feeding them.

Staff at Newquay Zoo are thrilled with the new arrival, Head Keeper Dave Rich: ‘Mum and baby are doing very well. This is her second baby so she knows what she’s doing. We don’t know if it’s a boy or a girl yet as at this age they will cling tightly to mum. However, when it becomes a bit more independent we will be able to sex it.’

Found in Central America, white-throated capuchins are classed as Least Concern by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. Because this species is known to be very intelligent, capuchins are exploited by humans for entertainment and the pet trade.

The Cornish zoo has had a great year for breeding and welcomed an array of babies, including a rare black wildebeest, a crowned lemur and an Owston’s civet kitten, which was hand-reared by keepers - a world first.
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