Two new baby baboons made their official public debut at Brooklyn's Prospect Park Zoo.
The adorable additions were born in July and are now actively romping about their new home, much to the delight of visitors. Now, the zoo is giving New Yorkers a chance to name the male babies.
Starting Tuesday, name nominations can be submitted online at the zoo's website. Senior staff at the zoo will judge the submissions and announce the winner September 24.
For now, the two monkeys go by "Number 1" and "Number 2." They were born from different mothers but sired by the same father.
"These are the zoo's first Hamadryas baboon births in six years," says Denise McClean, Director of WCS's Prospect Park Zoo, "and the first time we have had two infants at the same time."
When not scampering about their enclosure, the babies are being carried, breast-fed and watched by their mothers. Eventually the pair will be weaned and transitioned into a diet of vegetables and fruits.
Hamadryas baboons are large, ground-dwelling monkeys native to northeastern Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. Groups of Hamadryas baboons are called troops and typically include a dominant male and many females. There are currently two baboon troops at Prospect Park Zoo.
The public is welcome to observe the baby baboons and their family in the zoo's Animal Lifestyles Building from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily unil November 1.
