Will you be my mum? Spider monkey rejected by its mother clings to teddy



This baby spider monkey clings on to the back of a stuffed version of herself, looking for familiar love and warmth, having been abandoned by her real mother when she was born.

Keepers at Melbourne Zoo in south-eastern Australia are working around the clock to look after tiny Estela, who was born on January 17.

Without maternal love and guidance, she has not had the opportunity to develop normally and carers, who fear for Estela's life, are even taking turns to sleep next to the fragile two-month-old so that she can be nursed back to strength after been traumatised.



Her mother, Sunshine, rejected her baby and the pain has hard to take for Estela.

Scroll down to see spider monkeys in action



Clinging on: A cuddly toy plays surrogate mother to two-month-old Estela, who was rejected by her own mother

After witnessing Estela being shunned, the keepers stepped in and nursed the spider monkey's feelings.

They found that this stuffed monkey and some other cuddly toys would be able to provide some vital love and support for the two-month-old baby.

Estela even sleeps strapped to the back of a toy cat - thanks to a tightly wrapped towel.



Night time: Estela takes a nap on the back of another cuddly toy

Open wide: The staff at Melbourne Zoo are working around the clock to ensure the little spider monkey gains her strength

Jess McKelson, a primate supervisor at the zoo, said that the past few weeks have been very anxious for everyone in her department.



'We're taking turns to stay overnight with Estela to monitor her condition and provide the overnight feeds,' she said.



'Keeping Estela alive has been a big challenge, and she has had ups and downs over this time, with several infections that have been a real threat to her survival.



'Our veterinary department has been right there for us, ensuring that Estela has had the best possible chance of surviving.'

Keeping watch: The keepers will observer Estela while she dozes off, until such time she is strong enough

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.



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.





