WASHINGTON — The National Zoo is now home to seven new monkeys called guenons.
The zoo announced Wednesday that it recently welcomed two species of guenons — four Allen’s swamp monkeys and three Schmidt’s red-tailed monkeys. All seven of them are on exhibit in the Think Tank indoor and outdoor habitats at the zoo in Northwest.
The two guenon species are being kept in separate quarters of the Think Tank area and will be introduced after keepers monitor their behavior cues and see how they acclimate.
Allen’s swamp monkeys are native to the swamp forests of Cameroon and Democratic Republic of the Congo and are distinguished by their small and stout size and fur that varies in color from brownish-gray to green.
Schmidt’s red-tailed monkeys are also native to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as well as Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania and Kenya. The monkeys have a whitish-yellow nose, white cheeks and a long tail with a bright red underside.
The zoo’s Think Tank is connected to the Great Ape House by the O Line — a line its six orangutans can use to travel between the buildings. The Think Tank combines the appeal of animals as well as the cognition in three areas: tools, language and society, according to the zoo’s website.
