Meet the Zoo: Opus and Winola, A Love Story

They could be the most romantic couple in town. Opus and Winola are a pair of saki monkeys residing in the . Visitors are always enchanted by the affectionate and elaborate grooming routines of this primate pair.

Opus and Winola were paired up while living in the Bronx Zoo’s Monkey House. Opus was born and bred in the Bronx, and Winola is a southern belle from Little Rock, Arkansas.  The two are 12 and 13 years old, respectively and have spent most of their adult lives together. They have been living at the Prospect Park Zoo since 2008.

White faced Saki monkeys are native to Brazil, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, and Venezuela. Their bodies are about 18-inches long, but they have extremely long, slim limbs adapted for life in trees. These monkeys are specialized frugivores, meaning their diet is primarily fruit but they also eat unripe fruits and seeds. They have a specialized canine tooth that enables them to crack nuts that other monkeys would avoid.

The males and females are dichromatic – the males can be distinguished from females by color. In Saki monkeys, facial coloration is the most obvious. The males have a distinctive white forehead, face, and throat. These shy animals develop lifelong pair bonds, strengthening the bond by grooming rituals.

The Wildlife Conservation Society’s videographer managed to capture Opus and Winola’s elaborate grooming on video. The two appear to gaze into each others eyes as Opus holds Winola’s face close to his. And then … is it a kiss?  Well, not quite that romantic – just a little facial grooming.

While Opus and Winola are past their reproductive years, the two are still clearly attached to each other. Keepers provide them with enrichment – items to stimulate foraging and other natural behaviors – but focusing on each other seems to keep these animals content.

Of course, Opus is known to abandon everything for a tasty walnut (his favorite treat). Love is like that sometimes.