The baby monkeys umbilical cord is connected to the placenta and is pulled everywhere by the mother
In the earliest moments after birth, a baby monkey remains intimately connected to its mother through the umbilical cord, which links it to the placenta. This cord is a lifeline that has nourished the infant throughout gestation, supplying oxygen and nutrients while removing waste. When the baby monkey is born, this cord is often still attached to both the infant and the placenta, and in many cases, the mother carries both as she moves around immediately after birth.
In the wild, the moments following birth are delicate and full of instinctive behavior. The mother monkey is typically protective, ensuring her newborn remains safe and close. Before the umbilical cord naturally dries and detaches, she may continue to carry the baby with the placenta still trailing or attached. This can appear as if the baby monkey is being pulled along by the cord, but in reality, the mother’s movements are part of her instinctive effort to keep her newborn close, warm, and secure. The umbilical cord at this stage still connects the baby to the physical remnants of its time inside the womb—a striking visual reminder of the transition from dependent life inside to independent life outside.
Soon after birth, the mother usually chews through or tears off the umbilical cord using her teeth, a common behavior in primates. She may even consume the placenta, a practice known as placentophagy, which can help reduce scent traces that might attract predators and may also provide valuable nutrients. Once the cord detaches, the baby monkey clings tightly to its mother’s fur, beginning a new stage of attachment defined not by the umbilical link but by close physical contact and emotional bonding that will last for months as the infant learns to navigate the world.
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