New Baby Snow Monkey Born at Lincoln Park Zoo

The English-speaking world may be agog over the new princess born Saturday to England’s royal family, but Chicago gets to ooh and aah over a newborn at Chicago’s Lincoln Park Zoo — a new baby snow monkey.

Born Saturday to Ono, the first to give birth at the zoo’s Regenstein Macaque Forest habitat, the male macaque is doing well. He has yet to be named.

Writes zoo president Kevin Bell on the zoo’s blog:

This exciting birth came about thanks to a breeding recommendation from the Japanese Macaque Species Survival Plan, a shared management effort by zoos throughout North America. The father of the little snow monkey is unknown. It could be any of the group’s males—Akita (the leader), Miyagi or Kuma—but the new arrival’s paternity won’t be determined until DNA testing can be conducted after its first physical exam, likely several months down the road. ...

The snow monkeys were all eager to get outside, so they’re already exploring again, with the new baby secure in mom’s arms.

Ono is 10 and one of eight snow monkeys at the zoo.