Going ape at the Greenville Zoo

I’ve never spent much time watching or learning about monkeys or apes. The first fact I remember learning about either was that spider monkeys bite (according to the neighbor down the street, who was happy to show hers off, as long as you didn’t touch the cage).

But lately I’ve paid more attention, and a recent stop at the Greenville Zoo, I stopped to watch several. The orangutan curled up in a blanket was adorable. I’ve seen them swinging by their great, orange, hairy arms before, but not snuggling like a toddler getting ready for a nap.

The red-tailed, or Schmidt’s guenon was, for me, something new, and I didn’t even notice its famous long tail. I was instead drawn to its colorful face.

Red-tailed guenons are from Africa. Apparently, they are well known for making faces at humans.

The black and white ruffed lemurs were acrobatic, and excitable, at least when it came to dinner time.

Black and white ruffed lemurs are critically endangered, but do well in captivity.

Lemurs make good use of their limbs, and their tails.

And, I stopped to watch some gibbons, who, I learned are a noisy lot, too. Their calls can be heard two miles away.

Gibbon with teething baby.