Detroit Zoo Welcomes New Monkey Species

ROYAL OAK, MI — Two Allen's swamp monkeys have joined the Detroit Zoo, becoming the first of their kind in the habitat, zoo officials announced Wednesday.

The two monkeys, 9-year-old male Azizi and 5-year-old female Pepper, debuted in their new habitat over the July 4th weekend.

"We are happy to report that Azizi and Pepper are thriving in their new home at the Detroit Zoo, where they have been exploring their habitat with curiosity," zoo officials said in a statement.

Allen's swamp monkeys are native to the swamps and riverine areas that originate from the lowland forests of the Congo basin, according to zoo officials.

The monkeys often hunted for food in the wild or in retaliation for raiding farmers’ crops. Some are also captured for the pet trade, according to zoo officials.

The monkeys were also once a species of the least concern, but now they have a conservation status of "near threatened," zoo officials said. They are most active during the day and typically live around 28 years.