Sunset Zoo
On Sunday, December 7 Sunset Zoo welcomed a new resident when Kivuli, the black-and-white colobus monkey, gave birth to a bouncing baby boy.
Kivuli has been an excellent mother from the start, and the baby is healthy and growing steadily.At two months, the baby is starting to venture away from mom for short periods of time and munching on bits of solid food.
While born all white, his dark hair is starting to grow in as he slowly morphs into a striking, adult black-and-white colobus monkey. While he is meeting all his developmental milestones, this little monkey still needs a name.
Sunset Zoo is asking for the public’s help in naming our newest resident. All the options are words or names in Swahili, the most common language in Eastern and Central Africa where black-and-white colobus naturally occur. The troop’s caretakers have narrowed down the choices to three names:
Nuru (new-roo) – means “light” in Swahili, in contrast to his mother’s name, Kivuli, which means “shadow”
Kiatu (key-ah-too) – means “shoe” in Swahili, a tribute to Sunset Zoo’s recently retired director, Scott Shoemaker•
Kiongozi (key-own-go-zee) – means “leader” in Swahili, also in honor of Scott Shoemaker
Click here to cast your vote and donate any amount you wish towards their favorite name.
Whichever name receives the most donations by March 1st will be the winner and the new monkey moniker.
All proceeds will go towards animal enrichment and conservation. In addition to voting for a baby name, you can also help support the new mother and baby by visiting the Sunset Zoo gift shop and purchasing an item off the enrichment tree.
Mother and baby are often on view in the Ballard Primate Viewing Gallery or in their outside habitat on warmer days. The troop does have access to off-view dens; if you don’t see mom and baby, check back later in the day! Sunset Zoo is open from noon to 5 PM daily.