Fota Wildlife Park announces birth of endangered drill monkey
Olivia Kelleher
Fota Wildlife Park has announced the birth of an endangered male drill monkey the first of its species to be born at the Co Cork conservation facility as part of a European Endangered Breeding Programme (EEP).
The young drill, who was born on July 18th, is the offspring of nine year old mother Lewa and ten year old father Ekona. Drills are a rare primate species closely related to mandrills.
Over the past thirty years, drill populations have declined by at least 50 percent. In the wild, they are found only in a limited range: Cross River State in Nigeria, southwestern Cameroon, and Bioko Island in Equatorial Guinea.
Their total natural habitat covers less than 40,000 square kilometres, roughly half the size of Ireland.
There are an estimated 3,000-4,000 drills left in the wild which is decreasing due to habitat loss to give way for development and plantations.
Lead Ranger Teresa Power said the birth of the drill is a first not only for Fota Wildlife Park but for Ireland as well.
“The drill is an incredibly rare and endangered species, so it’s a real privilege to be part of the conservation and care of the species.
"Lewa, the new mother, is doing an excellent job. She is very protective, and the young male is nursing well, this is her first baby. For now, Lewa and the baby are being kept separate from the rest of the group, along with Banni, our younger female, who is both curious and attentive toward the new arrival.
"We’re hopeful that Banni may give birth herself later this year, and she’s already learning valuable maternal behaviours from observing Lewa. Visitors to Fota Wildlife Park may see the young monkey with his mother, at the purpose-built drill habitat and island.”
Ms Power said that drill infants are born with a distinctive black cap of hair, which they usually lose around six months of age.
“They are quite precocious too — we often see them trying to wander off as early as two weeks old! Lewa, however, is quick to pull him back and keep him close. We plan to reunite the group once the baby is a little bigger and more independent.”
Drills are large animals, with the males weighing around 33 kgs, they are powerfully built with large canine teeth and feature a range of colours such as lilac, blue, pink and purple on their rumps.
Fota Wildlife Park is asking the public to help name the young male monkey, and to enter their suggestion via the website at www.fotawildlife.ie/blogs/news, for the chance to win a year-long Conservation Annual Pass to the Park.
