Taronga Zoo Sydney is thrilled to announce the birth of four Bolivian Squirrel Monkey babies, bringing the total number of Squirrel Monkey babies born this season to an impressive seven.

The seventh and final Squirrel Monkey birth took place last Thursday 21 January while the other three babies were welcomed into the world in late December and early January.

All seven babies are reported to be doing extremely well, with the eldest three starting to look very similar to their mums in both size and confidence. “The three eldest monkeys have become extremely active and more confident, especially in the last few weeks. They are starting to spend less time attached to their mums and are constantly exploring, climbing and swinging around their exhibit,” said Primate Keeper Scott Brown.

So far Taronga’s primate keepers have been able to identify the first five babies as males, but considering their young ages, agile nature and protectiveness of their mums, keepers are yet to determine the sex of the youngest two monkeys.

“Once we can properly identify the sex of the two recent births, we will begin the naming process. We already have quite a few names in mind, but they aren’t concrete yet so watch this space!

“All seven squirrel monkeys are available to view on exhibit, so keep an eager eye out for the youngsters perched on their mum’s back or for the older monkeys as they begin to play and explore on their own,” said Scott.

The Squirrel Monkey exhibit is one of the first exhibits to see on arrival, located next to the Taronga Institute of Science and Learning. Keepers perform a daily feed at 12 pm which is the best time to catch a glimpse of the new arrivals.

As a proud not-for-profit conservation-based zoo, guests who choose to visit Taronga are choosing to help secure a shared future for wildlife and people by contributing to Taronga’s conservation efforts.