Dublin Zoo has announced the birth of a Goeldi monkey, the first at the zoo for years.

The baby monkey, who is being held so closely by its mother that zookeepers haven’t yet identified its gender, was born on 24 May and weighs around 20 grams.

The Goeldi’s monkey feeds on fruit, vegetables, insects and bird eggs. The primate is native to South America’s tropical rainforest, with most of the species in the wild located in Peru. They can blend so well into their natural surroundings that the species was only first described in 1904.

Zookeeper Susan O’Brien says the zoo is “delighted” with the new arrival, who is settling in well:

Inca, the mother, arrived to Dublin Zoo in 2012 from Banham Zoo in the UK and although it is her first offspring she is taking to her new role as a mum very well. She is keeping the newborn very close to her at the moment and swinging around the habitat with her new baby on her back.

The tiny monkey has been keeping close to its mother since its birth last month. Patrick Bolger Patrick Bolger

“In a couple of weeks we should be able to get close enough to determine the newborn’s gender but for now we are happy for the family to bond and get to know each other,” the zookeeper added.

Dublin Zoo and sponsors Kellogg’s Coco Pops are celebrating the new monkey’s arrival with a ‘Monkey Moments Weekend’ of special events around the South American House on 28 and 29 June. The zoo is open seven days a week, from 9.30am to 5.30pm.