Audubon Zoo's Mandrills are Expecting!

Something small and sweet is coming to Audubon Zoo just in time for Halloween. Mandrill couple Obi and Lucy are expecting! Their pregnancy announcement was pumpkin themed, and they enjoyed the tasty snacks while letting guests know they are going to have their own little pumpkin sometime later this month.

Lucy is 14 and as a first-time mom, she is receiving special training from her care team. They’ve been working with Lucy to get her comfortable with ultrasounds, and are continuing to build trust with her. After the infant is born, Lucy and baby will be monitored closely to ensure they are bonding and Lucy is nursing the baby successfully.

This will be the first offspring for the parents-to-be, who came to Audubon Zoo last year following a breeding recommendation from the Mandrill Species Survival Plan. This program helps maintain healthy, genetically diverse mandrill populations in human care at accredited Association of Zoos and Aquarium members.

Mandrill are considered a vulnerable species mostly due to habitat loss, encounters with humans, and bushmeat hunting. In the wild, they live in the equatorial rainforests in West and Central Africa.