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November 6, 2012: STORK VISITS SANTA ANA ZOO!
There's a new baby nosing around in Orange County. The Santa Ana Zoo in Prentice Park is pleased to announce the birth of a giant anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla) on the October 15, 2012. Born to father "Peter" of University of California, Irvine fame and mother "Heesoo of Troy", this birth has been highly anticipated by Zoo staff. Animal keeper and veterinary staff were able to perform ultrasounds to monitor the developing baby during the six month pregnancy. All appears well to Zoo staff and the pup is most often observed sleeping on mom with her tail draped over it.

The yet-to-be-named baby will ride around on its mother's back up to 10 months while growing to over half her size. Giant anteaters are found in the tropical forests and grasslands of Central and South America. They are considered vulnerable in the wild due to habitat loss and hunting. In the wild anteaters may eat up to 30,000 ants and termites a day. The Zoo feeds a commercial food designed for insect-eating animals, plus spinach, papaya, hardboiled egg, banana and sometimes avocado--all mixed in a blender and presented as a "smoothie." The baby will nurse for approximately six months.

The Santa Ana Zoo acquired giant anteaters in 2009 from a partner facility in South America with the help of donations from the UC Irvine Alumni Association and the Mike Schroeder Family. This is the second birth of this species at the Santa Ana Zoo and was a collaborative effort of the Species Survival Plan Program through the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). The mission of the Species Survival Plan Program is to manage and conserve select threatened or endangered species through the cooperation of AZA-accredited Zoos and Aquariums.

The new baby will be difficult to see for the next few weeks as she spends time bonding with her mother who is spending most of her time in the quiet off-exhibit sleeping quarters.

May 21, 2012: ENDANGERED MONKEY BORN AT SANTA ANA ZOO!
The Santa Ana Zoo in Prentice Park is pleased to announce the birth of a rare crested capuchin monkey (Cebus robustus) on the 7th of May, 2012. The crested capuchin is considered endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and this birth is an important contribution to the conservation program established in North America. The new infant is the third birth of this species at the Santa Ana Zoo.

Crested capuchin monkeys are a medium sized primate native to rapidly disappearing forests along the Atlantic coast of Brazil. In the wild, capuchins feed on a wide variety of fruits, insects, seeds, leaves, and even small mammals. Zookeeper Dina Orbison says "it is immensely gratifying to participate in this international effort and to educate our visitors about such unique and inquisitive animals". In 2001 members of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums worked with the Primate Center in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and the Brazilian government to bring seven crested capuchins to the United States to form the nucleus of a captive breeding program. The North American population remains on a special loan from the Brazilian Institute of Environment.

May 8, 2012: Rare Monkey Born at the Santa Ana Zoo!
The Santa Ana Zoo in Prentice Park is pleased to announce the birth of a golden-headed lion tamarin on April 26, 2012. Closely related to the golden lion tamarin, golden-headed lion tamarins have a black body with a golden-orange face and hands. Weighing less than 1 pound as adults, the babies tip the scale at about 1/8th of a pound! These rare monkeys are only found on the Atlantic coast of Brazil and are on special loan from the Brazilian government.

Zoos have worked together for several decades on the conservation of this species. Captive breeding, habitat restoration, conservation education and reintroductions into the wild are all part of the international effort to protect this species. This birth is a great boost to the conservation program. The Santa Ana Zoo’s four golden-headed lion tamarins combined with eleven closely related golden lion tamarins make up one of the largest groups of lion tamarins in North America.






















March, 2012: STORK VISITS SANTA ANA ZOO AGAIN!
Baby boom at the Santa Ana Zoo has visitors "oohing" and "aahing!"
No, you're not seeing double, the Santa Ana Zoo in Prentice Park is pleased to announce the birth of the second silvery langur (Trachypithecus cristatus) this year. Born on the 22nd of February, 2012, the baby and its parents, Ripley and Oliver, are doing fine. This bright orange baby monkey joins the Zoo’s other baby langur born on January 31st. Both babies share the same father but have different mothers. Silvery langur monkeys are born bright orange and turn silver-gray starting at about three to five months old. Mature silvery langurs weigh around 15 pounds when fully grown. In the wild, this monkey lives in the tropical forests of Indonesia and Malaysia where they are threatened by deforestation.

Zoo attendance has increased due to the crowds of people coming to see the first new baby. "Our visitors have been flabbergasted when they see two orange babies instead of one," says Kent Yamaguchi, Zoo Director. The first baby born in January has already started to venture away from its mother and has been seen investigating this new addition to the family. "Zoos are important places where people can learn about the need to conserve these amazing creatures. The color change of the baby langur monkeys is just one example of the remarkable animals that share our earth," says Yamaguchi.

The new langurs are a tremendous boost to the silvery langur population in North America that currently numbers approximately 50 animals. This birth at the Santa Ana Zoo was a collaborative effort with Species Survival Plan Program through the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. The mission of the AZA Species Survival Plan Programs is to manage and conserve select threatened or endangered, ex situ populations through the cooperation of AZA-accredited Zoos and Aquariums.

February, 2012: The "Home of the 50 Monkeys" in Orange County now has a brand new monkey baby!
The Santa Ana Zoo in Prentice Park is pleased to announce the birth of a silvery langur (Trachypithecus cristatus) on the 31st of January, 2012. The proud parents are Oliver and Daria. The yet to be named baby is the second offspring of this pair. Mom, dad and baby can be found at home in the primate area at the zoo.

Bright orange at birth with pale skin, over the first three to five months of life silvery langurs change to a grayish coat with a darker face and hands, and eventually weighing up to fifteen pounds. Silvery langurs are at home in the dense tropical forests of Indonesia and Malaysia where they are considered near threatened with a decreasing population mostly due to land clearance, often for palm oil plantations. Silvery langurs are specialist leaf eaters with a digestive system adapted to ferment the tough cellulose material in leaves. With a diet high in vegetation, langurs will sit quietly for many hours digesting their food.

The Santa Ana Zoo has housed silvery langurs since 1984, and holds the longevity record for this species with a female reaching over 35 years of age. This birth at the Santa Ana Zoo and was a collaborative effort with Species Survival Plan Program through the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. The mission of the AZA Species Survival Plan Programs is to manage and conserve select threatened or endangered, ex situ populations through the cooperation of AZA-accredited Zoos and Aquariums.

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