ORLANDO, Fla. (WTXL) — Disney’s Animal Kingdom in central Florida has a new addition: a baby mandrill.
The official Disney Parks Blog post says the little girl was born on Saturday, April 10, to first-time mom Hazel and dad Linus.
Cast members named the infant Ivy to fit in with the rest of her colorful family – Olive, Scarlett, Snow and Hazel.
Disney says the family has already been spotted by guests on Kilimanjaro Safaris and you may see the shy baby clinging to Hazel’s stomach, a natural bonding behavior.
According to the blog post, this will change soon as the baby begins to walk within weeks of being born, spending most of the time walking underneath mom.
Scott Terrell is the director of animal and science operations for Walt Disney Parks & Resorts. He says mandrills are found in African rain forests, though their habitat is disappearing. He says the birth is a result of a species survival plan, which aims to ensure the responsible breeding of threatened and endangered animals. Mandrills are listed as vulnerable.
The baby joins the troop of seven other mandrills that call Disney’s Animal Kingdom home.
