The birth of a golden monkey at ZooParc de Beauval
The ZooParc de Beauval has witnessed a historic birth. On the morning of Wednesday 11 March, a baby golden monkey was born at Beauval. The keepers had been monitoring the pregnancy, and on the day of the birth, a few lucky visitors were able to witness the moment. The baby’s mother is Jindou (meaning ‘golden seed’, born on 29 March 2018). This birth is a world first: it is the first golden monkey to be born in a zoo outside Asia.
As part of an international conservation and research project in cooperation with China, the golden monkeys arrived at ZooParc de Beauval in April 2025. This was already a historic milestone, as they became the first members of their species to be welcomed outside Asia.
Beauval’s keepers are closely monitoring the development of the baby golden monkey
Following the arrival at ZooParc de Beauval of two female golden monkeys (Jindou and Jinhua) and one male golden monkey (Jinbao), they quickly adapted to their new environment. Under the guidance of experts from the Shanghai Wild Animal Park in China, the keepers soon observed mating behaviour between the male and the two females, indicating that births could occur in the coming months… After attentive care and patient waiting, the baby was finally born on March, 11 2026!
The newborn is in very good health. It was immediately cradled in its mother’s arms and held close to her chest straight after birth. Currently, under the guidance of golden snub-nosed monkey experts from Shanghai Wild Animal Park in China, the ZooParc keepers are taking good care of the baby.
The keepers are closely monitoring the baby’s development, as the first few days after birth are always crucial for primates — particularly when the female is a first-time mother, as is the case with Jindou.
Come and see the golden monkeys and the baby born on March 11!
They are housed in the Chinese Highlands enclosure, near the giant panda twins Yuandudu and Huanlili.
Come and see the golden monkeys!
Reproduction among golden monkeys
Golden monkeys have a polygynous breeding system, meaning that, within harems, the male can mate exclusively with the females in his group.
Females reach sexual maturity at 4 to 5 years of age, and males reach sexual maturity around 7 years of age. The mating season is between August and October, and births generally take place between March and June. The gestation period is approximately 6 to 7 months.
Females usually give birth to a single infant every two years, and the babies have a lighter-coloured coat. The mother provides most of the care for the newborn, although the male may also help by protecting and grooming the infant. Weaning usually takes place around the age of one year, although breastfeeding may continue for longer.
Female golden monkeys practise ‘allonursing’, meaning that young may be nursed by a female other than their mother. This cooperative care behaviour is thought to increase the young’s chances of survival. In zoos, golden monkeys have a life expectancy of around 25 to 30 years.
