HOUSTON – The Houston Zoo is now displaying its newest bundle of joy: a newborn Schmidt's red-tailed monkey named Jack.
Baby Jack, born June 29, spent several weeks bonding with his mother Nagano behind the scenes before his public debut in September.
Now, the newborn monkey, weighing in at just over one pound, spends his days in the zoo's Wortham World of Primates with his mother and grandmother Bongo.
When he isn't clinging to his mother's stomach, Jack spends his days swinging through his new habitat. Even when he does explore, he never ventures too far from his mom.
Zoo experts say they anticipate Jack could weigh 10 pounds when he's full-grown. He will also become more independent as he matures.
Schmidt's red-tailed monkeys are a group of primates found throughout Africa, the zoo says. The species is vulnerable to habitat loss and hunting.
Houstonians can recycle old cellphones and handheld electronics to help protect red-tailed monkeys and other animals in Africa, the zoo says. Cellphones and other small electronics often contain coltan, a material mined in the parts of Africa red-tailed monkeys rely on for habitats.