It's freezing, but this adorable news will warm your heart: The Wildlife Conservation Society has announced that two Hamadryas baboons were born at the Prospect Park Zoo.
The WCS says, "The baboons, both male, were born just weeks apart. Their arrival marks the first time since 2010, and the second time in nine years, that Hamadryas baboons were born at the Prospect Park Zoo."
(Julie Larsen Maher © Wildlife Conservation Society)
The father of both baboons is Bole, 21. Rebecca, a 10-year-old female, gave birth on August 9 while Kaia, a 9-year-old female, gave birth on September 26. The WCS happily reports, "The older of the two youngsters is proving to be independent for his age and has started to explore his surroundings on his own. The younger infant is still nursing but will become more adventurous in the coming weeks." Here's video:
The Hamadryas baboons are native to northeastern Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. According to the zoo's website:
Hamadryas baboons are diurnal and spend most of their time on the ground. They group themselves in a few different ways to help them survive in their harsh environment. The smallest social unit, called a harem, contains one adult male, one or more “follower” males, and up to 9 adult females with their young. The males are in charge of herding, which directs the group and keeps the females from straying or being approached by other males. Two to three harems combine to form clans, and several clans—made up of two to four clans—make up a band. A band searches for food together. At night, the bands link up to form groups of about 100 individuals. They all bed down together at the same cliff site because sleeping spots are rare, and by linking together, they are better protected from predators.
