Just hanging around: Abandoned monkey who's the cutest baby in the zoo

By Daily Mail Reporter

With her huge doe eyes and fluffy hair, it's hard to believe that this baby spider monkey was abandoned by her mother at birth.

Little Estela and her mother Sunshine failed to bond after she was born in January forcing primate keepers at Melbourne Zoo to step in and care for her around the clock to ensure her survival.

Primate supervisor Jess McKelson and her team have had to feed the tiny newborn a formula mixture by hand to build up her strength.

Hanging tough: The baby Spider Monkey which is native to Central America, is currently receiving six feeds of formula a day and is now slowly being introduced to solid foods

What a cutie! It seems hard to believe that this adorable baby spider monkey was abandoned by its mother, but at least grandmother Sonya is on hand at Melbourne Zoo to ensure little Estela is behaving herself

But the playful youngster is growing bigger by the day and is now being introduced to solid food.

Luckily, grandmother Sonya is on hand to keep a watchful eye on the mischievous toddler who thinks nothing of playfully teasing and prodding her surrogate family.

Spider monkeys are often found in the tropical forests of Central and South America, from southern Mexico to Brazil. 


They have disproportionately long limbs and a long prehensile tail makes them one of the largest New World monkeys and gives rise to their common name. 

Cheeky monkey: Primate supervisor Jess McKelson and her team have been looking after Estela around the clock since she was abandoned. The playful youngster seems perfectly at home teasing her new carers with a poke in the eye though

Playtime: It looks like Estela's grandmother Sonya is in for a rough ride as the tiny spider monkey playfully pulls her ear

Spider monkeys usually live in the upper layers of the rainforest and forage in the high canopy, from 25 to 30metres (82 to 98ft).

They primarily eat fruit, but will also occasionally consume leaves, flowers, and insects. 

Due to their large size, spider monkeys require large tracts of moist evergreen forests and prefer undisturbed primary rainforest. 

They are social animals and live in bands of up to 35, but will split up to forage during the day.

Here's looking at you, kid! Impossibly cut, little Estela is a firm favourite with primate supervisor Jess McKelson (pictured here) at Melbourne Zoo who is helping the baby spider monkey adapt after she was abandoned by her mother, Sunshine

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