Trentham Monkey Forest: Searching For Babies

Trentham Monkey Forest have now started their exciting search for adorable baby monkeys as birthing season approaches.

 

Baby birthing season occurs late spring, early summer each year. So, as springtime draws nearer, and mating season ends the staff are eagerly watching and monitoring the females. Hoping to spot any females with small baby bumps hidden under their soon to moult winter coats.

 

It can be extremely hard to spot a pregnant Barbary macaque as they usually won’t show signs until the later stages of their pregnancy. However, it can be much easier to spot a small bump on smaller younger mothers to be.

 

Baby bump spotting aside, there is no interference from Monkey Forest staff during the pregnancy or birth. Just like the wild, births occur high up in the trees at night.

 

The first the staff know of a new arrival in the forest is in the morning when they catch their first glimpse of mum holding her new baby. So, the team will now be regularly out with binoculars hoping to spot an adorable new arrival.

 

Park Director Matt Lovatt said,

“Every single birth is amazing. With Barbary macaques being an endangered species and fewer than 8000 left in the wild, every new addition is important. We love that here at Trentham we’re part of protecting and conserving this amazing species. We hope to bring new-arrival news very soon”.

The forest work closely with organisations that help protect the wild Barbary macaques in Morocco and Algeria. Monkey Forest also try to educate visitors about this endangered species.

 

To be updated as and when, make sure you follow Trentham Monkey Forest across all social media platforms and check the news page to be the first to know of any baby announcements. The forest will also document the babies first few weeks with unbelievably cute images and videos – so following is a must!