Lincoln Children’s Zoo announces birth of spider monkey

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – The Lincoln Children’s Zoo on Friday announced the birth of a female black-headed spider monkey.

The baby — who has not yet been named — was born on Sunday to mom, Lola, and dad, Carlos. Zoo officials said the parents and the baby are “healthy and thriving.”

Evan Killeen, the zoo’s CEO, said spider monkeys are a critically endangered species facing threats of losing their habitats in the wild.

“This birth is incredibly important and aids in the effort to protect this species from extinction,” Killeen said in a press release. “This baby and the rest of the spider monkey troop here at the Zoo serve as ambassadors for their endangered counterparts by helping to raise awareness of the threats they face in the wild.”

The spider monkey habitat is in the Secret Jungle, which is closed until further notice to allow a quiet space for the parents and baby.

The zoo said to check out its social media pages for updates on when the Secret Jungle will reopen.