Five-day-old Elke, a palm-sized Francois Langur monkey, has been abandoned by her first-time mother but zoo keepers say this is a common occurrence.

"Often the first time mums might not have had enough exposure to other females giving birth so they haven't learned social skills and they haven't learned what they need to do with these little babies," Taronga Zoo primate keeper Mandy McLellan said.

Taronga Zoo keepers will spend several months raising Elke with the hope of eventually re-introducing her to her parents.