Grizzled by name... Howletts welcomes monkey
Baby Asmara clings to mum
at Howletts. Picture: Dave Rolfe
This heart-breakingly cute newcomer to Howletts Wild Animal Park
certainly doesn’t live up to its name.
Asmara, the grizzled leaf monkey, was born on Valentine’s
Day to proud and doting mum Juleha. The baby is the 20th successful
grizzled leaf monkey to be born at the park near
Canterbury.
Howletts has the only group of grizzled
leaf monkeys in captivity. They are native to the island of Java
where they have become endangered through rainforest
destruction.
Head primate keeper, Matt Ford said: “We are delighted with this
new arrival and mum and baby are doing very well. The birth
provides hope for the survival of these endangered primates in
captivity.
“Deforestation has resulted in habitat loss for the grizzled
leaf monkey, only four per cent of their original forest habitat
remains on Java.”
The Aspinall Foundation, which works in conjunction with
Howletts and Port Lympne Wild Animal Parks, officially launched its
latest conservation project in Java at the end of last year and is
designed to protect endangered primates in this region.
Matt added: “The conservation project in Java has just launched
and already several endangered indigenous primates have been
rescued from illegal ownership and are recuperating in our
rehabilitation centre.
"The aim is to eventually release them back to protected areas
in the wild where they can live and breed without
threat.”
19/03/12
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