Mama Didn't Love Me

Zoo Director Becomes Spider Monkey's Mom
Mon Jul 25, 4:54 PM ET

WAHPETON, N.D. - With a 3 1/2-month-old baby, Kathy Diekman doesn't get a lot of sleep at night. Niko has been with her every night since his birth. Her husband, Tom Schmaltz, has moved to another room to sleep. "He's afraid he'll roll over on him," Diekman said.
When he was born April 3, Niko weighed a little more than a pound and was given only a slim chance of survival. His doctors say Diekman's nurturing has helped overcome those odds.
Niko is a different kind of baby: He is a spider monkey, and attaches himself to Diekman's hair.
Niko was abandoned at birth by his mother, CeCe. To save the baby's life, Diekman, the director of Wahpeton's Chahinkapa Zoo, became Niko's surrogate parent.
"Severe bruising indicated that she (CeCe) may have first injured him," Diekman said. "We are not entirely sure why animals abandon their young."
Zookeepers tried reintroducing Niko to his mother after separating the rest of the monkey troop, but they were unsuccessful.
"We even considered introducing him to a Gibbon who is a mother five times over. But I thought the siblings might injure him," Diekman said.
There were health problems to worry about, including finding the right infant formula for the young monkey. Dr. Tim Matz, the zoo veterinarian, and his staff have handled several late night calls, Diekman said.
Spider monkeys attach to their mother's hair for the first year of their lives. And so it is with Niko. He has become a "one person monkey."
"Niko sleeps attached to my head, and you will often see him doing that through the zoo day as well," Diekman said.
The young spider monkey is a good climber, and he enjoys toys. Diekman is always in his sight. If she ventures into another room, Niko follows.
Her mother, husband and their daughter can take care of him for up to three hours at a time.
"He knows me, he's never had an overnight without me," Diekman said.
Zookeepers have to be careful with Niko, as with any human toddler. Coins or other small objects can't be left lying around.
"He does reach out and grab things. We don't want him putting things in his mouth," Diekman said.