Rare Bright Orange Monkey Born at Sydney’s Taronga Zoo

Born at Sydney’s Taronga Zoo on November 7, the baby Francois Langur (or leaf monkey) is one of the rarest monkeys in the world.

Zookeepers have named the monkey Nangua, which is the Mandarin word for pumpkin, after its bright orange hair.

The Taronga Zoo has posted photos of a rare, bright orange Francois’ Langur baby monkey.

The babies are normally born with bright orange hair, the Zoo posted on its website.

This little ginger newborn at Taronga Zoo won’t be a redhead for long. It’s a colour distinction that is thought to make it easier for adults to identify and look after infants.

This is important because these monkeys live in a matriarchal society and practice “allomothering”, where other females help raise each other’s babies.

“This gives mum a break to eat and rest, but as soon as the baby whimpers she races straight back over to him”. “The adults are starting to let him climb off them briefly, which shows they’re happy with his progress.””.

Nangua has begun to explore his exhibit in Taronga’s Rainforest Trail to the delight of visitors.

Francois’ Langurs, are native to China and Vietnam, but are almost extinct because of poaching and habitat loss.

Nangua is the fourth François’ Langur to be born in the zoo, which is the only one in the region that breeds the endangered species.