Born at Drusillas Park in Sussex, the white-faced saki monkey arrived on May 17 to first-time parents Twiggy and Pires.
The infant is the fourth generation of her family to be born at the park.
The family line traces back more than 25 years to her great-grandmother Requena, who arrived at Drusillas in 2000.
Mark Kenward, zoo manager at Drusillas Park, said: “They are just the loveliest monkeys. They’re so polite and a little less crazy than some of the other primates we work with.
“They’re incredibly gentle animals. Twiggy is an excellent mum. She and Pires are both first-time parents, but it has all come so naturally to them.
“Pires is very attentive to both Twiggy and the baby, and it’s been wonderful to watch them settle into family life together. This birth is a lovely reminder of the long-term commitment zoos make to conservation.
“To see four generations of the same family thriving here at Drusillas is incredibly rewarding. Requena started it all 26 years ago, and now we’re watching her great-grandchild grow up. That’s really special.”
Requena gave birth to Suri in 2007, who later became mother to Twiggy in 2019.
Now, at seven years old, Twiggy has given birth to the newest arrival.
Mr Kenward, who has worked at Drusillas for more than 28 years, has cared for every generation of the saki family since Requena first arrived at the park in Alfriston.
The newest arrival is part of a busy year of births at Drusillas, which has also welcomed ring-tailed lemurs, a Goeldi’s monkey, prairie dog pups, a black Colombian spider monkey, dwarf mongoose pups and binturong twins.
Pires, the infant’s father, arrived at Drusillas in 2024 from Marwell Zoo as part of the European breeding programme for the species.
Keepers report that Twiggy is a calm and confident mother, and both she and her baby are doing well.
White-faced saki monkeys are known for their dramatic sexual dimorphism. Males and females look completely different as adults.
At birth, both sexes resemble their mothers with brown-grey fur.
As males mature, they develop a black coat and a distinctive white face, while females keep the same colouring as their mothers.
This difference is so pronounced that early naturalists once thought they were two separate species.
Another unusual trait of white-faced saki monkeys is how they carry their young.
Unlike other primates that carry infants on their belly, back or neck, saki mothers hold their babies on their hip in the early weeks.
This behaviour is more commonly seen in humans.
As the young monkeys grow, they eventually move to their mother’s back.
The species is native to the tropical forests of northern South America, including Brazil, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana and Venezuela.
They spend nearly their entire lives in the rainforest canopy, feeding on fruit, seeds, nuts and insects.
Although currently listed as ‘least concern’ by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), white-faced sakis face threats from habitat loss, hunting and the illegal pet trade.
Modern zoos are essential for maintaining healthy, genetically diverse populations and educating the public about the conservation challenges these animals face.
Drusillas Park is open daily from 10am.
For more information, call 01323 874100 or visit www.drusillas.co.uk.
Visitors to Drusillas may spot the young monkey clinging closely to Twiggy as the family explores their enclosure.
The baby is becoming more curious each day but will stay close to its mother for several months.
Animal lovers are invited to help choose a name for the youngster via Drusillas’ social media channels. One of the options is ‘Requena’, in honour of its great-grandmother.