Dublin Zoo has welcomed two new monkeys ahead of the Easter break.
The zoo said they were delighted by the arrival of two Venezuelan red howler monkeys, the newest species to arrive to the South American House
The two male red howler monkeys, both aged five, arrived from Tierpark Berlin and are settling into their new habitat very well.
READ MORE: Dublin Zoo announces 'exciting' arrival of new species for first time in Ireland
Venezuelan red howler monkeys are new world monkeys and live in the rainforests of Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Brazil. They have a unique black coloured face and a thick red coat.
They also have a long prehensile tail which acts as a fifth hand to help them grip onto branches when climbing through trees.
They get the name ‘howler monkey’ from their roaring and howling calls, which can be heard up to 5km away.
They are the loudest of all monkey species and use their calls to warn other howler monkeys to stay away from their territory.
Eddie O’Brien, team leader at Dublin Zoo said: “We are really pleased to welcome these howler monkeys to the South American House at Dublin Zoo. We can’t wait for visitors to see them and learn more about this incredibly interesting species."
Venezuelan red howler monkeys live in a group called a troop and spend most of their time high up in trees. They are mainly leaf-eaters and have developed special teeth that help them to chew tough leaves.
The species is only seen at eight other European zoos, and Dublin Zoo is delighted to offer visitors the opportunity to see these amazing animals this Easter.
Dublin Zoo is open from 9.30am-6pm Monday to Sunday. Visitors can save up to 15% by pre-booking their visit online at www.dublinzoo.ie
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