Meet the Zoo: Year-Old Baboons Azizi and Jabari

Most visitors know that the has its share of cute monkeys. Among everyone’s favorites are Azizi and Jabari, a pair of juvenile Hamadryas baboons that will turn 1 year old this weekend. Prospect Park Zoo regulars have been watching them grow up and many will be joining the celebration this weekend.

Born July 23 and 28, 2010 to mothers Rebecca and Kaia and father Bole, these two little monkeys have thrilled adults and children alike from their first few days. The two mothers are fairly new to Prospect Park Zoo having arrived in late 2009 to breed with Bole.

In order to ensure that Bole was the father of any offspring, it was necessary to split the zoo’s 10 baboons into two separate groups. Simon, the eldest male and his son, Moja, are now together with four females in one group, and Bole lives with three females and the two youngsters. Azizi and Jabari were the first Hamadryas baboons born in Prospect Park Zoo in six years – and the first time two were born at the same time.

Brooklynites enthusiastically submitted names in an online contest and the keeper staff chose the final names from the submissions. The Arabic names, Azizi and Jabari, literally translate to precious and brave. Arabic names were chosen because they fit with the animal’s natural geographic range of the Arabian Peninsula and northeastern Africa.

It has only taken a year for these youngsters to reach their terrible twos. Often they get so involved with wrestling and jumping over each other that they disturb Bole, who usually sits on a rock with quiet dignity. But like any good father, his annoyance lasts only a minute. He appears proud of his offspring.

This weekend, visitors can celebrate their birthday with a cupcake party. At 3pm on Saturday and Sunday, the entire family will be treated to specially baked banana and carrot cupcakes prepared and donated by BCakeNY.