Colobus Monkey Born at Lincoln Park Zoo

CHICAGO (October 1, 2026) – We’re not monkeying around, there’s a new baby at Lincoln Park Zoo! In the early morning hours of September 24, 7-year-old black-and-white colobus monkey Nola gave birth to a male infant. Both Nola and the newborn have been doing well and continue to be closely monitored by expert Animal Care and veterinary staff—as well as their fellow troop members who are very interested in the new arrival!

The infant is Nola’s first offspring, which she had with 11-year-old sire Oku. Mom, dad, and baby will live with the rest of the colobus monkey troop, which includes maternal grandma Kutaka, age 22, and Nola’s siblings, 3-year-old brother Kean and 4-year-old sister Zinga. The baby was born as part of the Colobus Guereza Species Survival Plan (SSP), a collaborative population management effort among the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) institutions.

“Nola is already proving to be a great mom, and we’re excited to see how the other females in the troop develop their parenting abilities with the baby, which is common for colobus monkeys,” said Curator Dani Fogarty. “The Colobus Species Survival Plan is integral to the health and stability of the species’ population and we’re proud to play a part in that work.”

Nola and her yet-to-be named baby will be on view intermittently. When out, the newborn can be easily spotted in his habitat at Helen Brach Primate House thanks to his bright white hair and pink face. This coloring stands out against the primarily black coloring of adult colobus monkeys, which helps parents keep an eye on offspring and quickly identify their location among troop members. The baby’s coat will gradually change until he reaches his adult coloration around six months.

Black-and-white colobus monkeys have a native range spanning the forests of central Africa. They spend most of their lives in the trees, travelling between feeding sites in highly cohesive family groups of up to 15 individuals. Their glossy black coats are punctuated by a halo of white face-framing hairs, white u-shaped markings on their backs, and white tails that can grow to be 35 inches long—generally longer than the entire rest of their bodies. This monkey species is considered at lower risk of extinction, but the wild population of black-and-white colobus monkeys does face threats from deforestation and loss of habitat, as well as illegal hunting.

Those interested in helping care for mom and baby all year long may Adopt a colobus monkey at lpzoo.org/adopt or support the zoo at lpzoo.org.

About Lincoln Park Zoo

Lincoln Park Zoo inspires communities to create environments where wildlife will thrive in our urbanizing world. The zoo is a leader in local and global conservation, animal care and welfare, learning, and science. A historic Chicago landmark founded in 1868, the not-for-profit Lincoln Park Zoo is a privately-managed, member-supported organization and is free and open 365 days a year. Visit us at lpzoo.org.

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