PHOTOS: Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park Welcomes Baby Mandrill
This weekend, Walt Disney World's animal care team at Disney’s Animal Kingdom got to welcome a “colorful” addition to the animal family! On Saturday, July 25, mother, Scarlett, and first-time father, Linus, welcomed a baby mandrill to the troop.
Mom and baby are doing well and spending lots of time bonding. In fact, their bond is so close the animal care team hasn’t been able to determine if the baby is a boy or a girl just yet, because mom is keeping the infant so close to her belly. Scarlett and baby have already begun making short appearances in their habitat on the Kilimanjaro Safaris, joining the other members of their mandrill troop.
While this little one is pretty tiny now, mandrills are actually the largest species of monkey in the world. They’re a vulnerable species found in African rainforests along the equator, where their habitat is disappearing because of deforestation and poaching.
This birth is an example of how the dedicated and highly trained team of Disney animal care experts works with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) on Species Survival Plans (SSPs). The SSP assures responsible breeding for endangered species, such as mandrill monkeys, allowing for a healthy and genetically diverse population of such animals for years to come. Just this past May, we welcomed an adorable babirusa piglet, yet another success story of breeding through the SSP.
While this little one is pretty tiny now, mandrills are actually the largest species of monkey in the world. They’re a vulnerable species found in African rainforests along the equator, where their habitat is disappearing because of deforestation and poaching.
Be sure to visit the official Disney Parks Blog for more information about this little one’s arrival.
PHOTOS: © Walt Disney World Resort. All Rights Reserved.
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