Baby Patas Monkeys Being Hand-raised at Rosamond Gifford Zoo

SYRACUSE—Onondaga County Executive J. Ryan McMahon II announced recently that two patas monkeys gave birth to babies within a month of each other at the Rosamond Gifford Zoo. In both cases these monkey mothers, Iniko and Kasi, struggled to demonstrate maternal instincts necessary to raise their young.

According to a media release, 3-year-old Iniko gave birth to female Sisu (See-sue) on April 26, and her older sister Kasi gave birth to female Mushu (Moo-shoe) on May 11. The baby half-sisters are fathered by the leader of the patas troop, Mac. The patas monkey troop at the zoo mirrors this highly social species’ natural composition in the wild, in which one male and several females live together in a group.

County Executive McMahon said, “We are so glad to welcome these primate newborns to our zoo. The animal care team’s diligent work has ensured little Sisu and Mushu have a safe and healthy future.”

In the wild, the species has a comparatively low survival rate for births—making these births all the more significant. It is common for wild young patas monkey mothers to be uninterested in or incapable of raising their young. Iniko and Kasi lack experience in raising babies, so their expert caretakers were on the lookout for signs that the mothers might need help. After careful observation, the zoo’s veterinarian and specialists determined that the best way to ensure the health of both babies was to hand-raise them in the Animal Health Center Intensive Care Unit.