Oakland Zoo celebrates 'milestone' birth of monkey
OAKLAND, Calif. - The Oakland Zoo is celebrating the arrival of the newest member of its family, with a newborn red-tailed monkey marking a "milestone," the first birth of a guenon species at the zoo, officials said.
What we know:
The male infant was born earlier this month to resident red-tailed guenons mom Nonami and dad Marley. Baby and mom are doing great, according to the zoo.
"Nonami and her baby boy are thriving. He is nursing and bonding normally with Nonami, and she is ensuring the baby stays close," zoo officials shared in a news release.
While the infant is Nonami's first in Oakland, she has birthed two other monkeys, both females, at her previous zoo.
Those two monkeys, Ikea and Skittles, along with their parents, were brought to Oakland as part of efforts by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums to promote healthy and genetically and demographically diverse populations at zoos.
The mother and her new infant are settling in with the other monkeys.
"Nonami and her baby have joined the rest of the troop in their habitat," officials said.
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Japan's viral monkey
The arrival of the newborn comes as another baby primate has taken over internet feeds, with people world over transfixed on a viral monkey, named Punch, at a zoo in Japan.
The Japanese macaque has won hearts, as he’s been seen dragging along a stuffed orangutan toy which he has become attached to after his mother rejected him at birth.
CHIBA, JAPAN - FEBRUARY 20 : Baby monkey named 'Punch' is seen with a stuffed animal at a zoo on February 20, 2026, in north of Tokyo, Chiba Prefecture, Japan. Abandoned by his mother at birth, the monkey found comfort with a stuffed animal. (Photo b
People have been following Punch’s journey as he seeks acceptance from the troop of monkeys at the Ichikawa City Zoo.
It has been a challenging process at times. The little guy has been seen on video being ignored, with one viral video last week showing him being treated aggressively by another monkey, behaviors that all indicate Punch is trying to integrate himself into his community, Ichikawa City Zoo officials stressed.
On Friday, the zoo put out a statement to add context to that viral video, which has prompted expressions of heartache from viewers.
TOPSHOT - This photo taken on February 19, 2026 shows a 7 month-old male macaque monkey named Punch, who was abandoned by his mother shortly after birth, spending time with a stuffed orangutan toy at Ichikawa City Zoo and Botanical Gardens in Chiba P
Officials said it appeared that Punch had attempted to communicate with another young monkey, but that monkey chose to ignore Punch, prompting him to give up and sit down on his own.
That’s when an adult monkey came over and began dragging Punch, who later ran off to hide behind his stuffed toy.
"The adult monkey that dragged Punch is probably the mother of the monkey with whom Punch tried to communicate. She probably felt that her baby was annoyed by Punch and got upset, expressing ‘don’t be mean’," the zoo shared in its statement.
Officials said that Punch had been scolded on multiple occasions and that this was part of the process of him learning to socialize.
They also confirmed that though Punch did run off to his companion stuffed orangutan after he was dragged, "as usual, he left the stuffed toy after a while and was communicating with other monkeys."
The zoo’s experts said that as part of its efforts to integrate Punch with the troop, they expected he would face bumps along the way.
They also noted that while he has been the subject of rebukes by other monkeys, there hasn’t been a single member of the troop that has demonstrated serious aggression toward him.
‘Resilience and mental strength’
Officials asked the public to refrain from pitying Punch, but rather celebrate these efforts to gain acceptance from the monkey troop.
"While Punch is scolded, he shows resilience and mental strength," the zoo said, adding, "When you observe these disciplinary behaviors from other troop members toward Punch when he tries to communicate with them, we would like you to support Punch’s efforts rather than feel sorry for him."
The zoo has shared positive updates about their famous young monkey, along with images of him slowly interacting with the members of the troop.
"He’s getting groomed, playfully poking at others, getting scolded, and having all sorts of experiences every day, steadily learning how to live as a monkey within the troop!" the Ichikawa Zoo posted on social media on Feb. 6.
Oakland's red-tailed monkeys
Back in the Bay Area, the Oakland Zoo’s newborn monkey and his family are settling into their roles.
Big sister Ikea appears to be especially interested in her baby brother, "and wants to help Mom with grooming while Nonami supervises," the zoo said.
Visitors were invited to come by and try and get a glimpse of the newest member of the zoo’s family.
(Oakland Zoo)
"Mom and baby frequently spend time in the habitat, where visitors can see them every day," officials said, though noting, "sometimes Mom may prefer to retreat to a cozy, warm bedroom space with her baby."
The infant has no name at this point, but folks on social media have chimed in and offered suggestions like Theo, Strawberry, and Cadbury.
"Keepers are thrilled about the Zoo's first guenon baby and are currently selecting a name for our new male red-tailed monkey," the zoo said. "Once a decision is made, we will announce it on social media."