Santa Barbara Zoo Welcomes Two New Monkeys to Family

Pair of White-Faced Saki Monkeys, Penelope and Calabaza, Are First For Zoo

White-faced saki monkey Calabaza | Credit: Credit: Courtesy of the Santa Barbara Zoo

The Santa Barbara Zoo welcomed its two newest family members, white-faced saki monkeys Penelope and Calabaza, to the zoo on Tuesday. Calabaza is 3 years old and came to the Santa Barbara Zoo from Zoo Miami, and Penelope is 2 years old and came from Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville, Texas.

“Penelope has settled in well, and while she’s still a bit shy, she has been opening up and starting to show her personality more and more,” said Kristen Wieners, zoological manager and training facilitator at the Santa Barbara Zoo. “Calabaza is very curious about everything and anything in his surroundings, and is also quite the talker when he gets excited! We are in the process of introducing the two to each other, and so far things are going well.”

The pair are the first white-faced saki monkeys to live at the Santa Barbara Zoo. The species got its name from the male’s appearance, which have all black hair and distinctive white faces. Females, however, have brownish-gray “salt-and-pepper” hair.

Penelope and Calabaza can be found in the primate exhibit (near the penguins) with the golden lion tamarins, an endangered species of monkey also native to South American rainforests.

White-faced saki monkey Penelope | Credit: Courtesy of the S.B. Zoo
White-faced saki monkey Calabaza | Credit: Courtesy of the S.B. Zoo

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