GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — John Ball Zoo is mourning the loss of its adult male white-faced Saki monkey, Yaki.
The monkey lived to be 25 years old and passed away last week. The median life expectancy for male Saki monkeys in human care is 21.
Yaki was born at Nashville Zoo and came to John Ball Zoo in 1996 where he was paired with Helen, the zoo’s female Saki monkey.
Yaki and Helen were good parents and have seven children and three grandchildren in the Saki monkey Species Survival Plan and in five different AZA institutions.
Yaki was a wonderful ambassador for his species and will be greatly missed by all of us.
