PAIGNTON ZOO’S MONKEY MATCHMAKERS’ FOUR-YEAR QUEST TO FIND PERFECT PRIMATE PARTNER

A four-year search for a suitable suitor has finally ended happily for two female monkeys at a Devon wildlife attraction, which now boasts one of Britain’s rarest zoo exhibits.

Paignton Zoo has welcomed a 19-year-old male king colobus monkey from Blackpool after an extensive international search, making it one of only 13 collections across the UK and Europe to house this increasingly endangered species.

250227 Paignton Zoo King Colobus Monkey Male Limbali FA LR 1 — ^{19-year-old Limbali has been transferred from Blackpool Zoo to Paignton Zoo as part of the European breeding programme to help boost numbers for this rare and increasingly endangered species.}

For the zoo’s two resident females — 22-year-old Ivy and the more youthful 13-year-old Lola — the arrival represents the culmination of a long-running romantic saga that saw an earlier matchmaking attempt from continental Europe fail.

Alex Elswood, Primate Keeper at Paignton Zoo, commented:

“Acquiring a suitable male has been challenging. These animals are part of a managed European breeding programme. Coordinating the transfer of endangered primates between facilities requires significant planning.”

250227 Paignton Zoo King Colobus Monkey Male Limbali FA LR 12 — ^{The striking monochromatic fringing on the king colobus monkeys’ coat lends itself to emotive wildlife photography.}

Colobus monkeys are among Africa’s most visually distinctive primates, and the zoo’s new inhabitant certainly cuts a dramatic figure with his jet-black coat, theatrical white facial fringes, and sweeping white shoulder capes. For wildlife enthusiasts and photographers, their arrival creates a compelling reason to visit the Devon attraction. While many endangered species require specialist knowledge to appreciate fully, these striking creatures offer immediate visual drama.

Alex continued:

“We’ve already noticed visitors spending considerably longer at the enclosure. They’re absolutely mesmerised. There’s something about these monkeys that stops people in their tracks.”

The king colobus, native to a vanishingly small range of western African forests spanning from The Gambia to Ivory Coast, faces a precarious future. Classified as endangered on the IUCN Red List, wild populations have plummeted due to twin threats of habitat destruction and hunting for bushmeat.

Their presence in European zoos represents a vital insurance policy. Crucially for the zoo, which operates as part of the Wild Planet Trust charity, the new arrivals offer that rarest of combinations — genuine conservation significance paired with undeniable visitor appeal.

While the principal objective remains breeding, zoo officials acknowledge that the monkeys’ striking appearance makes them natural ambassadors. Herbivores with a preference for leaves, flowers, and fruit, they’re relatively straightforward to accommodate, though their specialised digestive systems require careful dietary management.

250227 Paignton Zoo King Colobus Monkey Male Limbali FA LR 16 — ^{Leafy greens such as lettuce are a dietary staple for the zoo’s primates.}

For those wishing to see these rare primates, the zoo recommends visiting during quieter midweek periods, when the animals are most active. The enclosure has been specifically designed to enable these tree-dwelling creatures to display their remarkable agility.

Whether romance blossoms between the new arrival and his prospective partners remains to be seen, but for now, their presence offers wildlife enthusiasts a rare opportunity to observe one of Africa’s most endangered and visually arresting primates.

Click here to buy tickets to visit Paignton Zoo’s newest resident and support the zoo’s vital conservation work.