The OKC Zoo and Botanical Garden sends this information as posted below:
For the second time in two years, an endangered Francois langur infant has been born in the Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Gardens’ Sanctuary Asia habitat. Parents Pam and Ripley welcomed the newest member of the family on Sunday, September 8. The pair’s first offspring, Fera, was born in early 2024. The infant has not yet been named.
Found mostly in the forests of China and Vietnam, the Francois langurs are a species of old world monkeys that are listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. The mature Francois langurs’ wild population is between 2,000 and 2,100, down nearly 50 percent over the last 37 years.
“Every birth is a cause for celebration, but for conservationists, this one is special,” said OKC Zoo Executive Director and CEO Dwight Lawson. “With such a small wild population, it’s all the more important that we raise awareness of Francois langurs and work to preserve the species and their habitat.”
Pam and Ripley came to the Zoo in 2021 on a breeding recommendation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan®. Hunting and habitat destruction are major threats to the species of mostly folivorous monkeys—meaning leaves are the majority of their diet along with fruits, seeds, and roots.
Adult Francois langurs have a distinct appearance of fine black fur with white bands stretching from the mouth over the cheeks to the ears, like sideburns. Thanks to a prominent brow ridge that resembles raised eyebrows, the monkeys look perpetually surprised. Infants of the species have bright reddish-orange fur, which transitions to black over the course of their first year.
“We are thrilled to welcome a new member to our Francois langur family! As an endangered species, this birth is incredibly special to the Zoo and our primate team,” said OKC Zoo’s Curator of Primates, Shannon Charles-Ray. “We were able to partner with our Zoo veterinary team to closely monitor Pam’s pregnancy via ultrasound, which was a great experience for both teams. Fera, Pam and Ripley’s first-born, is adjusting well to being a big sister and the family group is adjusting so well, we couldn’t be happier.”
Fera only had an orange head when born, but the new baby is covered top to bottom in brightly colored fur. Within days of his birth, the infant joined the rest of his family outdoors in their habitat at Sanctuary Asia.
The langurs are named for Auguste François, the French Consul at Lungchow in southern China, who observed groups of the animals living on rocky shores between Nanning and Kuohua, China.
The Oklahoma City Zoo’s regular daytime hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily with the last entry at 4 p.m. Avoid the entry lines and purchase advance Zoo admission tickets online at okczoo.org/tickets. Located at the crossroads of I-44 and I-35, the OKC Zoo is a proud member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the American Alliance of Museums, and Oklahoma City’s Adventure District.
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