Vote to name newly-born endangered monkey at East Sussex zoo
We're being asked to choose between Elsie, Gertrude, Muriel and Ethel
A vote is taking place to choose the name of a baby monkey, newly-born at a zoo in East Sussex.
Drusillas Park says the critically-endangered Sulawesi macaque arrived on 11th January.
Keepers say they're "delighted", as the baby's mum, Ahsoka, had previously avoided dad, Moteck, as he was "too big a personality."
There was also competition from "love rival" Lintang, the resident female macaque.
Drusillas Head Keeper, Gemma Romanis said: “We’re absolutely delighted that Ahsoka has the ‘happy ever after’ ending she deserves after a tricky settling in period. She didn’t ‘click’ instantly with Moteck and Lintang, but after some perseverance, they’ve worked things out and the result has been the birth of a wonderful new infant at the zoo.
She continued: “The baby, which we are 95% sure is a female, is doing so well. It’s great to see first-time Mum Ahsoka taking motherhood in her stride, with a newfound confidence we’re all thrilled with. The healthy arrival this baby provides a crucial boost for the macaque population, and we’re all really proud to play our part in keeping this beautiful primate from extinction.
“The genetic footprint of Dad, Moteck is the most important in the European population of this critically endangered species, because he is what is known as a ‘founder animal’. Every birth at the zoo is cause for celebration, but especially so if it also makes a meaningful contribution to conservation, like this new arrival.”
As the site celebrates its hundredth year, members of the public are being invited to choose between the names Elsie, Gertrude, Muriel and Ethel, as they were popular in 1925.
The zoo's charity, Drusillas Conservation in Action, has also partnered with an Indonesian conservation, research and education programme, Selamatkan Yaki.
Ramenpudi Seba, known as ‘Ara’, works for Selamatkan Yaki managing human-wildlife interactions between macaques and the local community in Batuputih, and said: “I want to help to manage the situation when humans and monkeys meet and protect the yaki (the Indonesian name for macaques) so that they are not harmed by people who do not like their presence.“
Ara added: “I have admiration for their ability to climb trees so easily and can imagine the look of glee on their faces when I fall in the river!”