First Anniversary for Regenstein Macaque Forest

Regenstein Macaque Forest opened a year ago today! Here are a few photos to commemorate the first year of this state-of-the-art home for snow monkeys at Lincoln Park Zoo.

Greeting guests at the zoo’s west end, Regenstein Macaque Forest offers an immersive home for a troop of 10 Japanese snow monkeys. The $15.5 million exhibit includes plenty of features to encourage natural behaviors, from treetop climbing to a central hot spring to splash in.

Two built-in touch-screens offer engaging enrichment for the snow monkeys—and give scientists with the zoo’s Lester E. Fisher Center for the Study and Conservation of Apes a chance to learn more about how this complex species sees the world around them.

Barely a month after the exhibit opened, Regenstein Macaque Forest welcomed its first new arrival: baby Obu. The growing guy spent his early days clinging close to mom Ono but is now increasingly independent.

Male Akita is the dominant member of the group, but snow monkey troops are actually structured around hereditary female lines. Males leave for new groups upon reaching maturity while females stay and inherit mom’s rank.

The troop welcomed its second new arrival on March 18, 2016, a baby born to female Izumi. The little one’s sex is still unknown, but we look forward to watching it grow!

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