Detroit Zoological Society | 21 Sometimes a little bundle of joy arrives at the perfect time. For Japanese macaque and first-time mom Lynda, her bundle of joy arrived on Mother’s Day. Kota, a male Japanese macaque, was born in the early hours of May 8, 2022, to Lynda, a 21-year-old snow monkey born at the Detroit Zoo in 2001, and Haru, 9, who joined the Zoo in 2016. Since his birth, Kota — a Japanese name meaning happiness and good fortune — has continued to grow and thrive. He loves exploring his habitat, spending time with his mom and playing with his half-siblings, Hana, Jun and Umi. “We couldn’t have been happier to welcome Kota — especially on a day as special as Mother’s Day,” says Melissa Thueme, DZS mammal supervisor. “Lynda has been an excellent mom, and Kota is so curious and playful. We can’t wait to see how he will grow up.” Some things are all sugar, spice and everything nice. At least that’s the case for Ginger, a red panda who moved to the Holtzman Wildlife Foundation Red Panda Forest in December 2022. Since her arrival, animal care staff say they have fallen in love with her curious and playful personality. “She can be a little sassy,” says Sarah Allan, an animal care specialist who works closely with Ginger. “She’s also pretty brave.” Staff members aren’t the only ones enjoying Ginger’s company. Ravi, a male red panda, also gets along well with her. The two can often be seen lounging in their habitat’s high trees. A new species has found a home at the Zoo. Over the 2022 Fourth of July weekend, DZS staff welcomed two unrelated Allen’s swamp monkeys — Azizi and Pepper. Since moving to their new habitat inside the Zoo’s Asian Forest, the monkeys have been exploring their home and delighting guests. “They are both very inquisitive about people,” Thueme says. “They like to watch for people coming down the path. They really like interacting with the guests and sitting where the guests can see them.” Azizi and Pepper Kota Ginger
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