Adorable twin red-bellied lemurs – a species listed as vulnerable to extinction – have been born at Chester Zoo.

Zookeepers spotted the fluffy duo nestled in mum Aina’s (4) thick fur just moments after their birth.

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One of the world’s most endangered primates has been born at Chester Zoo.

The rare baby cotton-top tamarin monkey arrived to first time parents Treat (3) and Leo (5), measuring just 10cm from head to tail and weighing a mere 40g.

Conservationists at the zoo say they are “overjoyed” at the birth, with cotton-top tamarins listed as critically endangered on the International Union of Conservation and Nature’s (IUCN) Red List. It’s estimated that just 2,000 breeding animals remain in the wild - tamarins have already undergone a large reduction in their numbers and are predicted to decline by 80% in the next 20 years, making them one of rarest of all primate species.

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Conservationists at Chester Zoo are celebrating the birth of a rare ‘miniature kangaroo'.

Zookeepers caught on camera the moment the new joey – a dusky pademelon – started to peek out from mum’s pouch for the very first time.

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A rare okapi has given birth to an “incredibly special” calf at Chester Zoo. 

The wide-eyed infant, born to first-time mum Ada and dad Stomp, has remained snuggled up in her nest ever since her arrival into the world. But now, the shy youngster has started to take her very first tentative steps outside as she begins to gain in confidence.

An adorable aardvark has been born at Chester Zoo for the first time in the charity’s 90-year history.

Conservationists at the zoo were “overjoyed” to discover the new arrival snuggled up with mum Oni (8) and dad Koos (6) after it had been born overnight on 4 January.

The calf, born with large droopy ears, hairless wrinkled skin and giant claws, is currently being hand-reared every evening by zookeepers who are providing dedicated care, feeding the baby every few hours through the night for around five weeks, to help it gain strength.

The sex of the new calf is yet to be determined but staff have nicknamed the youngster Dobby due to its resemblance to the much-loved Harry Potter character.

Seeing double! Conservationists at Chester Zoo are celebrating the birth of two baby mandrills – the first of their kind to be born at the zoo in more than a decade.

Chester Zoo is celebrating the birth of not one but two baby mandrills.

The precious primates entered the world just five weeks apart and are the first of their kind to be born at the zoo in more than a decade.

The first to arrive was born to 10-year-old mum Brio, providing her with her first taste of parenthood, with the second infant arriving to more experienced mum, Obi (17). The new babies are half siblings and share the same dad, Kamau (11).

Mandrills are listed as vulnerable on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List of threatened species, with numbers in the wild having declined significantly in recent years.

One of the world’s rarest pig species has been born at Chester Zoo.

The arrival of a Visayan warty piglet has given cause for celebration for keepers at the charity zoo, with as few as 200 now remaining in the wild.

The male newcomer arrived to mum Gwen (9) and dad Tre (10) on 16 November 2021 and now joins a family of five.

These forest-dwelling pigs are listed as critically endangered by the International Union of Conservation for Nature (IUCN).

The species has suffered a drastic population decline in the wild. Agricultural expansion and logging have devastated vast amounts of their native habitat in the Philippines, and they are also hunted for their meat and persecuted for raiding crops – making them one of the rarest wild pigs on the planet.

The latest addition to the breeding programme will be an ambassador for his relatives in the wild.

Mark Brayshaw, Curator of Mammals at Chester Zoo, said:

“It’s fantastic to see the birth of any animal, but when they’re critically endangered and fighting for survival in the wild, it makes it even more special. Baby piglets are incredibly energetic and playful, and so the whole group will certainly be kept very busy over the coming months!

“Visayan warty pigs aren’t just your average pig. During breeding season, males develop a long, protruding mane from their head, giving them a mohawk-like hairstyle. Both mum Gwen and dad Tre are named after punk rockers Gwen Stefani and Tre Cool as a result of this iconic look, and I’m sure it won’t be long until we’ve decided a suitable name to follow in that tradition.

“Every piglet is a vital addition to the breeding programme and will help champion the plight of this fascinating, charismatic species.”

Chester Zoo’s latest arrival is vitally important to the endangered species breeding programme which is looking to maintain a genetically viable population of Visayan warty pigs in zoos around Europe.

The Visayan warty pig was recently recognised as a species in its own right. Little is currently known about these animals in the wild and experts say that by working closely with them in the zoo, they can transfer knowledge to further support the animals in the wild.

Stuart Young, Regional Field Programme Manager for South East Asian Islands at Chester Zoo, explains:

“Working with Visayan warty pigs in the zoo gives us the opportunity to study these animals in a way we never would have been able to in the wild.

“However, the important knowledge gathered here at the zoo is then shared with our partners at the Talarak Foundation in Negros, the Philippines, and has helped with the reintroduction of 19 Visayan warty pigs back into the wild. The pigs were reintroduced to Bayawan Nature Reserve in Negros in July 2020, where the animals had been extinct for more than 10 years. We’re absolutely delighted to reveal that the population is now thriving and 10 piglets have been born since they were rehomed.

“Although pigs can sometimes be overlooked, and don’t gather the attention that other bigger mammals receive, they play a really important role in the ecosystem - which is why we must continue to prevent their extinction.”

Visayan warty pigs live in small social groups and communicate with squeaks, grunts and chirrups. Piglets take their mother’s milk for up to six months, moving on to a varied diet that includes roots, tubers and fruits. 

Chester Zoo was the first zoo in the UK to care for Visayan warty pigs, a species that gets its name from three pairs of fleshy warts on the boar’s face.

The breeding centre in the Philippines, and the nature reserve where the pigs were released, have recently been hit by a deadly typhoon causing damage to fences and buildings. Chester Zoo is supporting the Talarak Foundation with repair costs, but extra funding is needed.

Chester Zoo is celebrating the birth of a threatened spider monkey.

The rare baby primate, a Colombian black-headed spider monkey, has been spotted being cradled in the arms of experienced mum, Kiara (11).

Colombian black-headed spider monkeys are considered vulnerable by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and are at risk of extinction, with more than a quarter of its population estimated to have been lost in just the last half a century.

The South American primates are found mainly in Colombia and Panama where they are being increasingly threatened by hunting, illegal trafficking and the destruction of their tropical rainforest habitat.

One of the world’s most endangered primates has been born at Chester Zoo.

The precious youngster - a critically endangered Sumatran orangutan – has arrived to mum Emma (34), following an eight and a half month pregnancy. Dad Puluh is also aged 34.

Primate experts at the zoo say they are yet to determine the sex of the tiny newcomer, who has been clinging tightly to mum since entering the world on Saturday 19 June.

The birth is being celebrated by conservationists around the world, including in the species’ native South East Asia, where fewer than 14,000 of the great apes remain in the wild. Sumatran orangutans are listed as critically endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and face an extremely high risk of extinction.

The baby is first of its kind to be born at the zoo since its group of Sumatran orangutans moved back to their ‘Monsoon Forest’ home - nine months after the UK’s largest zoological building was restored to its former glory following a tragic fire in December 2019. Chester Zoo is currently the only zoo in mainland Britain which cares for Sumatran orangutans.

Claire Parry, one of the zoo’s specialist Primate Keepers, said:

“Sumatran orangutans are one of the world’s most threatened large mammals and so the safe arrival of a new baby is an incredibly special moment. Emma is an experienced mum and already she’s formed a really close bond with the little one – it’s wonderful to see her cradling it so gently.   

“The youngster is a vital boost to the international conservation breeding programme, which is working to ensure a safety-net population for these critically endangered animals within the world’s most progressive zoos. Crucially, we also hope the baby will help us to raise more awareness about the destruction of rainforests in South East Asia that is driving this magnificent species, and many others, towards extinction.”

The Sumatran orangutan is one of the world’s most endangered great apes; threatened by hunting, illegal logging and habitat loss as its rainforest home is cleared to make way for palm oil plantations.

Palm oil is a highly efficient oil that is found in more than 50% of supermarket products globally. As the demand for unsustainable palm oil intensifies, orangutans are increasingly being edged towards extinction.

A team of conservationists at Chester Zoo are working in Indonesia, alongside sustainable palm oil farms and NGOs, to help prevent further deforestation.

Nick Davis, Deputy Curator of Mammals at the zoo, added:

“For many years now our teams at the zoo have been working with palm oil suppliers in the UK, and with partners and NGOs in Indonesia, to encourage the growing of sustainable palm oil. We want there to be no further deforestation and, where palm oil plantations do already exist, we want them to include wildlife safe corridors to allow animals to move through them freely. With the help of our partners, we have also started to reconnect areas of rainforest by replanting native trees back into the ground where they once stood.

“With palm oil being such a widely used product, people power is key in turning the tide if we’re to save these charismatic animals. Like most of the products we buy, if consumers demand certified sustainable alternatives, then suppliers will quickly change their ways and practices – bringing an end to the destruction some of the most treasured ecosystems on the planet.”

The city of Chester became the world’s first Sustainable Palm Oil City after conservationists at the zoo completely revamped the supply chains of businesses in the area to only include palm oil from sustainable, deforestation-free suppliers. This included local restaurants, cafes, hotels, fast food outlets, schools and workplaces. The project is now being used a blueprint in other communities in the UK in a bid to save South East Asia’s most precious wildlife.

Conservationists at Chester Zoo are celebrating the birth of a rare red-bellied lemur - the first of its kind ever to be born at the zoo.

The fluffy youngster, whose sex is currently unknown, arrived to parents Aina (4) and Frej (8) following a 127-day pregnancy.

The new baby was born around six weeks ago but keepers say the precious primate was so small and hidden in among mum’s thick fur that only now is it starting to become more visible. It was estimated to weigh just 70 grams at birth - around the same weight as a banana. 

The birth is an important boost to the European breeding programme for the species with the red-bellied lemur listed as vulnerable to extinction in its native Madagascar – the only place where lemurs are found in the wild.

Experts say destruction of their forest homes, caused by people for agriculture and timber, as well as hunting for their meat has resulted in huge declines for all of the island’s 100 different species of lemur.

Claire Parry, Assistant Team Manager of Primates at Chester Zoo, said:

“The birth of any lemur is real cause for celebration as these primates are vulnerable to extinction in the wild and every new arrival is a vital addition to the endangered species breeding programme. This one, however, is extra special as it’s also the first baby red-bellied lemur ever to be born at Chester Zoo.

“Aina is a first-time mum who’s really taking motherhood in her stride - she’s very confident with her new addition. The baby is always seen clinging on tightly to her, which is exactly what we want to see, and this lovely little lemur looks incredibly content hidden in among mum’s warm fur.”

Mike Jordan, Director of Animal and Plants at the zoo, added:

“With lemurs considered as being the most endangered group of mammals in the world by the IUCN, every birth is significant. Lemurs are endemic to Madagascar where they are severely under threat with over 94% of all lemur populations at risk of disappearing forever. Sadly, we know that many larger lemur species have already become extinct.

“We need to ensure the species that do now remain on this diverse island are safe and protected. That’s why our conservationists have been engaged in protecting habitats and the unique species they are home to in Madagascar for over 10 years now. In 2015, the Malagasy government established The Mangabe New Protected Area, co-managed by our field partner Madagasikara Voakajy and the communities that live in Mangabe itself, providing a safe haven for nine species of lemur, as well as lots of other threatened species. We are fully involved in efforts to prevent their extinction.”