Alexandria Zoo celebrates birth of howler monkey

Tuesday, January 18, 2022

Alexandria Zoo celebrated its first birth of the new year. Black howler monkeys, Cody and Lola, welcomed their second offspring on Wednesday, January 12. Females generally give birth every two years, resulting in one offspring.

To allow mom and baby to bond without any added stressors, the animal care team is just observing for now. At this stage, we look for nursing and grip strength, which are indicators of a healthy baby. Both mom and baby are doing well.

How can you tell them apart? Black howler monkey males and females differ in appearance, a trait called sexual dimorphism. Males are generally larger than females, and they have different coat colors. Adult males are black; adult females and juveniles are a golden tan color. Males turn black around age 2.5.

Black howler monkeys are native to forests in the central part of South America. Their calls can be heard up to three miles away and can reach 140 decibels.