Already in January, a special animal child was born in the NaturZoo Rheine, which now presents itself more and more to the visitors with a thirst for exploration and playfulness: A bearded monkey girl is growing up in the monkey house. It is after a break of 6 years the first young animal, which grows up with these black macaques with the name-giving grey beard again in the nature zoo.
The long hiatus was a request of the breeding program for these primates, which are common in western India. The species is listed as highly endangered on the Red List: Mainly habitat destruction – deforestation of mountain forests – have led to the decline in population numbers to only about 2,500 animals.
But places are also scarce in zoos. 300 bearded monkeys live in 40 European zoos. This means that holding capacity is nearly exhausted, and the population must be managed intensively, taking into account inbreeding avoidance and maintaining a “healthy demographic population.” For example, the female bearded monkeys at the NaturZoo have been hormonally implanted over the past several years for breeding avoidance. But now there could and should be a young animal again, this above all to ensure the social stability of the group. Because the young are also peacemakers in conflicts between adult animals, and younger females must learn from the rearing example of other group members to be a good mother themselves one day.
The young bearded monkey is therefore much more than a “cute young animal” and exemplifies the very complex animal population planning in zoological gardens today.