Visitors to the Denver Zoo can now see its latest addition, a 14-year-old male mandrill named Rafiki.
Mandrills are the largest of all monkey species in the world, according to . The reclusive animal, known best for the blue and red markings that distinguish its facial features, hail from the tropical and coastal forests of Central Western Africa, according to the Denver Zoo’s media release.
Rafiki was brought to the Denver Zoo from the Toronto Zoo as part of a species survival plan. Bringing him to Denver helps ensure “healthy populations and genetic diversity among zoo animals,” according to the Denver Zoo.
The Zoo’s commitment to the preservation of mandrill’s goes beyond hosting Rafiki. To help preserve the animal in the wild, the zoo has pledged more than $15,000 over the next three years to a project in Gabon. That project aims to “educate the local population about the importance of mandrills and fund surveillance patrols to reduce bush meat hunting.”
If Rafiki’s name sounds familiar, he shares it with a prominent character from Disney’s popular movie “The Lion King.” The name also means “friend” in Swahili.
