Rare King Colobus monkey born at Paignton Zoo

Second endagered monkey born in Devon

Paignton Zoo is celebrating a rare double baby boom after welcoming a second endangered King colobus monkey this winter, marking the zoo’s first animal birth of 2026 and another important contribution to international conservation goals. 

The latest infant was born to 23-year-old Ivy in the early hours of Sunday, 1 February. She joins Limba, another young king colobus born at the zoo last autumn, meaning Paignton Zoo is currently caring for two king colobus infants within the same family group. 

King colobus monkeys are classified as endangered, with wild populations declining because of habitat loss and hunting across parts of West Africa, where the species lives in forested areas. Forest clearance for agriculture, settlements and resource use continues to reduce the space available for these monkeys in the wild. 

European zoos work together through carefully managed breeding programmes to help safeguard species like the king colobus by maintaining healthy, genetically diverse populations. Each birth is planned, monitored and plays a role in supporting the long-term survival of the species. 

Nadia Gould, Team Leader of Mammals at Paignton Zoo, commented: “We are incredibly proud to be part of a wider breeding programme that helps protect species like the king colobus. These births are the result of careful planning and years of collaboration between zoos, all with the aim of safeguarding the future of these animals.” 

Ivy is also mother to Lola, who gave birth to Limba in October, a pattern that is common in primate species where different generations often raise young at the same time. Both babies were sired by Limbali, an unrelated male introduced to the group as part of a managed breeding programme.

Limbali sadly died just weeks before Limba’s birth, making the recent arrivals particularly poignant for the animal care team.

At three months old, Limba has already undergone a striking transformation and now looks like a miniature version of the adults, with dark fur and a distinctive white-grey cape. Her confidence and playful behaviour regularly catch the attention of visitors. 

Monkey Heights is now home to three babies in total, with the king colobus infants joined by Koidu, a Diana monkey born last summer and affectionately known as the zoo’s “miracle baby”. 

Nadia added:  “Having three babies in Monkey Heights at the same time has brought such a lovely energy to the zoo. Seeing visitors’ reactions when they spot them is always a highlight, and it gives us a great opportunity to talk about how endangered these species are and why breeding programmes like this are so important.” 

The arrivals come at a time of significant change for Paignton Zoo and its sister site, Newquay Zoo, which have recently moved into new ownership under Libéma. With construction already underway and new exhibits planned, the births signal an encouraging start to a year of transformation. 

While much of the development is happening behind the scenes, visitors can already see signs of change taking shape across both sites, with improved facilities and new animal habitats planned for later this year.