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Critically endangered monkey gives birth after surgery saves her foot
Pioneering operation at Chester Zoo saves rare Roloway monkey from amputation
Zoo vets and surgeons from the University of Liverpool conduct unique procedure
Only 2,000 Roloway monkeys remain in the wild
Mum Masaya now parenting "magnificently" following successful recovery
A critically endangered monkey has given birth just months after pioneering surgery saved her from undergoing an amputation.
Masaya, a 15-year-old Roloway monkey at Chester Zoo, had a golf-ball-sized mass removed from her foot last summer in a complex operation carried out jointly by zoo vets and surgeons from the University of Liverpool's Small Animal Teaching Hospital.
Despite finding no previous examples of the procedure on Roloway monkeys, the team successfully conducted surgery to save all but one of her toes.
Now, she has given birth to little Lagertha, who primate experts at the zoo say is already showing signs of her mother's spirit.
Zoe Edwards, primate keeper at Chester Zoo, said:
“Masaya is a very experienced mum and she's parenting magnificently. Lagertha is only a few weeks old and is very dinky, but already curious about the roloway monkey habitat and inquisitive about us.
“The fact Masaya’s foot has healed so well is a huge relief. If she'd had an amputation, we'd have been left with real questions about whether she could hold her offspring or continue with her normal behaviours.”
The new arrival is Masaya's third daughter, and her birth marks a significant moment for the species.
Zoe added:
“Chester Zoo is one of only two places in the UK that Roloway monkeys can be found, and Masaya is very important - not just to her family, but to her whole species. There are only a few breeding females in zoos in Europe."
According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), fewer than two thousand Roloway monkeys live wild in Ghana and the Ivory Coast, where they face habitat loss and poaching. They are so rare that the health of individuals like Masaya is highly significant to the European Endangered Species Programme, the breeding project set up to ensure the survival of the species.
Masaya had experienced recurring problems with her foot since she came to the zoo in 2023. Despite x-rays, ultrasounds and biopsies, vets struggled to identify the cause - eventually concluding a likely persistent abscess, possibly from an old thorn injury. When the swelling worsened in 2025, the decision was made to take Masaya to Liverpool for a CT scan.
Charlotte Bentley, Veterinary Officer at the zoo’s Animal Health Centre, said:
“It’s not every day you take a monkey to vet school. We had to bring everything she might need, from anaesthesia equipment to medications and blankets.
“Following the scan, we decided an operation was the way forward. She's been an absolute trooper all the way through, and I'm just glad we were able to do something for her.”
Rachel Burrow, vet and lecturer at the University of Liverpool, played a key role in the CT scan and the operation.
She said:
“This was the last chance to save Masaya's foot before amputation. Working with primates is completely different from my usual patients, who are typically cats and dogs, and it was a real privilege to care for such a rare animal. It's great to see the surgery was a success - she's comfortable, active and using the limb well."
Masaya and Lagertha, who is named after a Viking queen, can be seen alongside four other monkeys at Chester Zoo.
Find out more about the zoo's Animal Health Centre at www.chesterzoo.org/animalhealthcentre
Two major firms join zoo's campaign for sustainable palm oil
Two UK food giants have committed to protecting the world's forests by becoming Sustainable Palm Oil Ambassadors.
Today (Tuesday 2 December), Chester Zoo has announced that KTC, a leading supplier of food oils, and leading food manufacturer The Compleat Food Group, signed up to the programme, which is set up and run by Chester Zoo to fight deforestation in palm oil supply chains.
As ambassadors, both companies have pledged to use palm oil derived from deforestation-free sustainable sources and to promote the use of sustainable palm oil to protect vulnerable habitats.
Eleanor Evans, Deforestation-free Campaigns Project Officer at the Zoo, said: "We are delighted that these two forward-thinking companies have joined forces with us in this campaign. It’s vital that deforestation free palm oil becomes standard, and its only through championing this, sourcing responsibly and increased transparency that we can start to shift the dial to make it the norm. We hope that this will inspire other businesses to drive positive change!"
Chester Zoo began its work on Sustainable Palm Oil in 2012 and has been working with partners in an oil palm dominated landscape in Borneo for two decades. Palm oil, commonly found in many supermarket products, often receives a bad reputation due to unsustainable production which drives the destruction of huge areas of rainforest in Sumatra, Borneo and other regions.
However, palm oil itself is not inherently bad. It is both versatile and efficient - it can yield 10-15 times as much oil per acre than other sources, which means that swapping to another plant source is not necessarily better and can contribute to an increase in deforestation.
By supporting deforestation-free sustainable palm oil production, Ambassadors are incentivising growers to farm in forest-friendly ways, protecting rainforests and the animals that rely on them.
David Moore, Group ESG Director at The Compleat Food Group, said: “At The Compleat Food Group, we’re proud to stand alongside Chester Zoo as Sustainable Palm Oil Ambassadors. Our mission is to create Food to Feel Good, food that’s not only delicious and affordable, but also better for people and the planet.
“By joining this initiative, we’re reinforcing our commitment to sustainable sourcing and encouraging others across the industry to support the transition to responsible palm oil production. Together, we can protect vital habitats and drive meaningful change.”
Gary Lewis, Head of Business Development and Sustainability at KTC Edibles, said the company was proud to use and promote certified sustainable palm oil.
Mr Lewis said: “Becoming a Communities Ambassador for Chester Zoo is the latest step in our mission to lead the way on the responsible sourcing of edible oils and to creating a more sustainable future for all.”
Find out more about the Sustainable Palm Oil Ambassadors scheme here: www.chesterzoo.org/SPOAmbassadors
About Chester Zoo
Chester Zoo is a world-leading conservation zoo. Founded by the Mottershead family, it welcomed its first visitors on 10 June 1931. Three years later, it was registered as a non-profit organisation to be run as a charitable educational, conservation and scientific institution. What began as a family run zoo has since grown into a globally renowned wildlife charity and a national zoo, welcoming more than two million visitors a year and 165,000 members, all helping to provide funds for its conservation mission.
Voted the best zoo in the UK by TripAdvisor, the zoo’s 130-acre site in Chester, which is home to around 30,000 animals, is where its species-saving work is made possible. The zoo is key part of 139 international conservation breeding programmes and works with 62 conservation partners in 19 countries to protect wildlife, habitats and people. Experts from the zoo are recognised by governments and NGOs across the world as leaders within the global conservation community.
About The Compleat Food Group
At The Compleat Food Group, we’re proud to be a food business built on purpose and passion. Formed in 2021, we’re on a mission to create Food to Feel Good - great quality, tasty and affordable food that people love to eat.
We’re home to some of the UK’s most exciting and loved food brands, including Wall’s Pastry, Pork Farms, Wrights, The Real Yorkshire Pudding Co., unearthed, Vadasz, Squeaky Bean, Palace Culture, and Harvey & Brockless. Alongside our branded portfolio, we’re a leading supplier of delicious own-label pastry, sweet bakery, party food, olives and antipasti, added-value egg products, continental meats, dips and sauces and plant-based food to the UK’s major retailers, as well as across foodservice.
With over 6,000 talented colleagues across 17 sites, and an annual turnover of £1.3bn, we’re united by a shared ambition to shape the future of food for the better. We are backed by European private equity firm PAI Partners.
About KTC
KTC Edibles is part of the Whitworths Food Group and is the UK’s leading supplier of edible oils and fats to foodservice, wholesalers, bakery businesses and food manufacturers.
Founded in 1972, KTC employs more than 410 people across two UK sites in Wednesbury and Liverpool. The company supplies more than 250m litres of cooking oils to customers of all sizes across the UK food industry each year.
Additional information about KTC can be found at www.ktcfoodgroup.co.uk
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