KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The troop of langur monkeys at Zoo Knoxville met a small, orange-furred addition to the family on Wednesday.
The new female silvered-leaf langur was born Nov. 30 to Lucy and Walter. However, her parents won't be the only ones raising the baby. All the langurs in the troop will help care for it.
This type of social practice is known as allomothering, which is when someone other than the biological mother of a child acts as its mother. The behavior is common among mammals and birds.
She is the second langur to be born in Knoxville since the zoo began working with them in 2017. Her fur is a bright orange, but should gradually darken into the black shades of her parents.
The zoo posted a video of her playing with her new family on Wednesday, clinging to their stomachs and backs as she hops around the Langur Landing. Visitors can see her when they visit the zoo.
