Macaque spent three days preserving dead baby’s body at zoo

Zookeepers in Germany recorded the moment a female monkey spied on the body of a baby who died shortly after it was born. According to the “Traceuse” mother’s care team, the mother kept an eye on the baby’s body for two days until she was allowed to be taken away by the staff.

Traceuse, a species of Drill (Mandrillus leucophaeus), a relative of baboons, has been living in the Grüner Zoo in Wuppertal since 2017. Traceuse, who is eight years old, gave birth to her baby on November 4.

Biologists noticed the presence of the body, but this did not interfere with the behavior of the mother, which was considered natural for the species.

“This is a natural behavior that can also be observed in monkeys in the wild. This is how the mother and other members of the group say goodbye to the dead cubs,” the zoo said in a publication.

According to the zoo, Traceuse “dumped” her son’s body after keeping an eye on him for two days. At that time, another female in the group cared for the baby for several hours, and then the monkey’s body was taken away.

“While we are deeply saddened by our loss, we are happy to see how she is taking care of her dead calf. This shows that she needs to raise her calf in an exemplary manner after a new pregnancy and successful birth. Contributing to the conservation of such a threatened species,” she added.

The cause of the calf’s death has not been disclosed by the zoo at this time. Drills are considered endangered monkeys. Pregnancy of females of the species lasts for about six months, and when they become adults, the animals can reach 18 kilos and 70 centimeters.