OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – The Oklahoma City Zoo has welcomed a new addition to its animal family.
According to the Zoo, the endangered Francois langur infant was born in the Sanctuary Asia habitat to parents Pam and Ripley on September 8. This is the couple’s second offspring, the first being Fera born in 2024.
“Every birth is a cause for celebration, but for conservationists, this one is special,” said OKC Zoo Executive Director and CEO Dwight Lawson. “With such a small wild population, it’s all the more important that we raise awareness of Francois langurs and work to preserve the species and their habitat.”
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Officials say the Francois langur are mostly found in the forests of China and Vietnam. They have been listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as the mature Francois langurs’ wild population is between 2,000 and 2,100, which is down nearly 50 percent over the last 37 years.
“We are thrilled to welcome a new member to our Francois langur family! As an endangered species, this birth is incredibly special to the Zoo and our primate team,” said OKC Zoo’s Curator of Primates, Shannon Charles-Ray. “We were able to partner with our Zoo veterinary team to closely monitor Pam’s pregnancy via ultrasound, which was a great experience for both teams. Fera, Pam and Ripley’s first-born, is adjusting well to being a big sister and the family group is adjusting so well, we couldn’t be happier.”…