Four generations of rare monkeys thriving at Drusillas Park

A special arrival at Drusillas

A new addition has arrived at Drusillas Park in Alfriston, marking a significant moment for the wildlife sanctuary. Born on May 17, the baby white-faced saki monkey is the newest member of a remarkable four-generation family that has called the park home for over two decades.

The infant's journey begins with her great-grandmother Requena, who arrived at Drusillas in 2000 and started what would become an inspiring family story. Requena went on to give birth to Suri in 2007, who became mother to Twiggy in 2019. Now, at seven years old, Twiggy has welcomed her own baby to the world, alongside her partner Pires.

First-time parents flourishing

Both Twiggy and Pires are experiencing parenthood for the first time, yet the transition has been remarkably smooth. Mark Kenward, zoo manager at Drusillas Park, praised the new parents for their natural instincts. "Twiggy is an excellent mum," he said. "She and Pires are both first-time parents, but it has all come so naturally to them. Pires is very attentive to both Twiggy and the baby, and it's been wonderful to watch them settle into family life together."

Kenward, who has worked at Drusillas for more than 28 years, has had the privilege of caring for every generation of the saki family. "To see four generations of the same family thriving here at Drusillas is incredibly rewarding," he reflected. "Requena started it all 26 years ago, and now we're watching her great-grandchild grow up. That's really special."

Understanding the species

White-faced saki monkeys are fascinating creatures with distinctive characteristics. The species is known for its dramatic sexual dimorphism—males and females look completely different as adults. At birth, both sexes resemble their mothers with brown-grey fur. As males mature, they develop a black coat and a distinctive white face, while females retain their brown-grey colouring. This difference is so pronounced that early naturalists once thought they were two separate species.

Another unusual trait of white-faced saki monkeys is how they carry their young. Unlike other primates that carry infants on their belly, back or neck, saki mothers hold their babies on their hip in the early weeks—behaviour more commonly seen in humans. As the young monkeys grow, they eventually move to their mother's back.

Part of a busy year

The newborn saki monkey is just one of many arrivals at Drusillas this year. The park has also welcomed ring-tailed lemurs, a Goeldi's monkey, prairie dog pups, a black Colombian spider monkey, dwarf mongoose pups and binturong twins. Pires, the infant's father, arrived at Drusillas in 2024 from Marwell Zoo as part of the European breeding programme for the species.

Keepers report that Twiggy is a calm and confident mother, and both she and her baby are doing well. The birth stands as a testament to Drusillas' commitment to long-term conservation and animal welfare.

Source: 'It's incredibly rewarding' - rare baby monkey born at wildlife park