Monkey Madness - another baby baboon

Double Trouble at Alma Park Zoo - another baby baboon

Late last year Brisbane's Alma Park Zoo announced the first birth of a Hamadryas Baboon in Australia for 4 years and we are now pleased to announce another arrival.

"Kamilah" was born on 15th January 2010.

Photo right is Kamilah not long after birth and yet to find her feet

Breeding of Hamadryas Baboons is considered an urgent priority by the Australian Species Management Program to ensure zoo populations remain viable.  Alma Park Zoo is an active participant in the international conservation program for the species.

First time mother Gene (pronounced Geenie) and "Kamilah" are happy and healthy after initial concerns with a late passing of the placenta.  Gene was well prepared for the birth and raising of her first child after recently learning some valuable mothering skills from her close friend Greetji, who's baby is now 11 weeks old.

Alma Park Zoo has the largest number of primate species in Queensland, represented by both New World and Old World monkeys from Asia and Africa.  The collection includes spider monkeys, squirrel monkeys, ring-tailed lemurs, marmosets and cotton-top tamarins.  With the Hamadryas baboons having been part of the Alma Park Zoo family for over 20 years and have had successfully bred at the Zoo in the past.

Fast Facts

* Mother "Gene" (prounced geenie) Father Scoobie

* Hamadryas baboons scientific name is Papio hamadryas

* Distributed across Ethiopa, Somalia, Saudia Arabia and Yemen

* Live in subdesert, semi-arid plains, rocky hills, short grassed savannahs

* Males weigh 20kg and up and females up to 10kg

* Longevity is 35-38yrs

* Terrestrial species - cannot grasp with short tail

* Diety is vegetation, insects, roots and tubers, flowers, fruit, eggs and small vertebrates

* Have large scarlet scoloured bottoms and that of the female swells and get brighter during oestrous

* Promiscuous with one male grouping with up to 10 females

* Reproduce throughout the year with a gestation period of 154-175 days bearing a single offspring.

* Wild populations are Threatened by habitat loss due to land conversion for agriculture