Hunter Valley Wildlife Park spider monkey Betty welcomes a beautiful baby boy

Born to super-mum Betty in October, she and her baby boy are doing extremely well and aren't too shy to show off in front of zoo visitors.

Hunter Valley Wildlife Park director Chad Staples said the little one doesn't have a name just yet, as the keepers like to see what kind of personality a baby has first.

"He's a very healthy and beautiful baby, we've seen him suckling and holding on to mum," he said.

Zookeeper Chad said Betty is a natural mother, and the new addition brings the zoo's spider monkey count up to six.

"She's just been perfect, thankfully there were no complications and she went right to doing exactly what she knows how to do," he said.

"It's an amazing time to come and see them, just to see this mum basically doing everything she would have normally done but with this baby hanging on her is amazing.

"And that this baby is already strong enough to hold on while mum has to traverse high ropes and do everything she would normally do, and then to be able to watch as she feeds and grooms him and all that beautiful stuff with a newborn."

Zookeeper Chad said Betty and the baby stay with the troop of spider monkeys, as they would in the wild.

"Their protection is as a group, and there's so much maternal strength in that group," he said.

"It's always beautiful to watch primates because they're so emotionally intelligent, they know exactly what's going on. They're very interested in the new arrival and are keeping an eye on mum."

The new baby's birth is a result of careful planning and breeding, and zookeeper Chad said while the spider monkey isn't at the highest level of endangerment, there aren't a lot of them in Australia.

"Every birth is very important, and genetics is key to their survival overall," he said.

While there aren't any other imminent babies on the way just yet, there are plenty of full pouches and heads emerging in the kangaroo walk-through at the park.

"There's always something in the air at this time," zookeeper Chad said.

"It's a special time for everyone here and she's (Betty) not shy about showing off her baby, so be sure to keep an eye out when you visit."

In other news: