Live Music

Critically endangered lemur born at Chester Zoo

Chester Zoo is celebrating the birth of rare Coquerel’s sifaka

First images show proud mum Beatrice and her ‘wide-eyed’ baby together

Species nicknamed ‘dancing lemur’ due to the unique way it springs along the floor

Chester Zoo is the ONLY zoo in the UK, and one of three in Europe, to care for the animals

The Coquerel’s sifaka is one of the world’s most threatened primates and faces an extremely high chance of extinction in the wild

Found only on the island of Madagascar they are at risk due to widespread deforestation

The zoo is working with its partners in Madagascar to protect sifakas and their forest home

Conservationists at Chester Zoo are celebrating the birth of a critically endangered Coquerel’s sifaka lemur.

The tiny new arrival was born to parents Beatrice (11) and Elliot (10) following a five-month pregnancy and weighing around 120g.

First images of the bright-eyed baby show it bonding with mum and clinging tightly to her fur as she leaps from tree to tree. 

Primate experts at the zoo say the baby will begin to branch out and explore on its own at around three months old, which is when they will reveal if it’s male or female.

The species has been nicknamed the ‘dancing lemur’ because of the unique way that it moves. Sifakas stand perfectly upright while using their powerful legs to spring side to side along the floor and can leap more than 20ft through the treetops in a single bound.

Chester is currently the only zoo in the UK, and one of just three in Europe, to care for the Coquerel’s sifaka. New parents Beatrice and Elliot were transferred from the Duke Lemur Center in the USA in 2021 to begin a new conservation breeding programme aimed at safeguarding the primates from extinction.  

Dr Nick Davis, Primatologist and General Manager of Mammals at the zoo, said:

“A new arrival into the conservation breeding programme is a huge boost for the species, especially as the little one will be joining only five other Coquerel’s sifaka living in zoos across Europe, so every addition is very special.

“The new baby was born with a thick fuzzy white coat, just like its parents, and is already wide-eyed and full of personality. Mum Beatrice is being kept very busy with her playful arrival who is feeding from her regularly and has, so far, showed great signs of development.

“Over the next few weeks the youngster will gain enough confidence to begin exploring on its own. Only then will our team be able to get a closer look and discover if it’s male or female, which is really important information as we work to safeguard the species and its future.”

In the wild the Coquerel’s sifaka population has declined by 80% in the last 30 years due to widespread habitat loss across the island of Madagascar. As a result, the species is classed as critically endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Mike Jordan, Director of Animals and Plants at Chester Zoo, added:

“These unique primates are found in only one place on Earth, the northwestern forests of Madagascar. Sadly, their population is in sharp decline and their habitat has become increasingly fragmented as more than 90% of the island’s forest has been wiped out to make way for agricultural farming and human activities. 

“For more than a decade we’ve been working with our in-country field partners and NGO, Madagasikara Voakajy. During this time, we have helped develop a special area of protected forest, spanning more than 27,000 hectares, to safeguard the island’s unique wildlife including lemurs, frogs and reptiles.

“We’re hopeful that the work here at the zoo in the UK, as part of the co-ordinated efforts with other European zoos, paired with our efforts in Madagascar to protect the forests, will ensure species like the Coquerel’s sifaka can thrive for generations to come.”

In 2015 the Malagasy government established The Mangabe New Protected Area, an area of land co-managed by the zoo’s field partners and the communities that live in region - providing a safe haven for nine species of lemur and thousands of other threatened species that call the forest home.

Coquerel's sifaka lemur facts

 The new baby Coquerel’s sifaka was born on 21 September 2023

Scientific name: Propithecus coquereli

 There are more than 100 species of lemur in Madagascar – the only place where lemurs are found in the wild

Sadly, IUCN primate experts report that destruction of their forest homes, caused by people for agriculture and timber, as well as hunting for their meat, has led to lemurs being considered as being the most endangered group of mammals in the world

94% of all lemur populations are at risk of disappearing forever. Sadly, many larger lemur species have already become extinct

 Lemurs play a huge role in maintaining forest diversity, structure and dynamics through the dispersing seeds and pollen from one area to another

They are very unusual in the mammal world as they share a trait with only a handful of other species, female dominance

Coquerel's sifaka lemurs are two feet tall and weigh around 4kg

 Gestation is around 130 days and only give birth to one off spring at a time. New babies will ride around on their parent’s back for around five months until they’re ready to venture out alone

 Their tails are longer than their bodies, which helps them balance and move through the trees. Their vocal and distinctive calls are used to warn others off their territory and find each other in the wild

 They have scent glands on their throats, which they rub along branches to mark where they have been or to attract a mate.

Chester Zoo celebrates the arrival of a Sulawesi crested macaque baby

 A rare baby Sulawesi crested macaque has been spotted clinging to mum Rumple

New arrival gives boost to international conservation breeding programme

Species is one of the world’s most threatened primates with just 5,000 remaining in its natural habitat

 Zoo conservationists working in Sulawesi to help local communities to protect forests and species living in them

Conservationists at Chester Zoo are celebrating the birth of a rare Sulawesi crested macaque monkey – one of the world’s most endangered primates.

The new arrival, who is yet to be sexed or named, was born on 16 May to proud new mum Rumple and dad Mamassa.

In the wild the charismatic primates face numerous threats including habitat loss as a result of deforestation, illegal logging and the expansion of farming land, as well as hunting and the illegal pet trade.

The species is currently listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

With fewer than 5,000 individuals estimated to remain in their natural habitat on the island of Sulawesi, and with numbers having plummeted by around 80% in the last 30 years, primate experts say that every birth in conservation zoos helps to safeguard the species.

Mark Brayshaw, Head of Mammals at the zoo said:

“Sulawesi crested macaques are highly sociable animals that live in large groups, and so the new baby is currently being passed around by mum Rumple to several other females, who are all sharing parenting duties, which is great to see.

“Every birth is a step forward for the international conservation breeding programme that’s working to safeguard the future of this critically endangered species. It also provides an opportunity to learn more about their behaviour, biology and social structures, which all helps to inform the efforts to protect the species globally.

“These charismatic monkeys face a plethora of threats in wild. While illegal logging has seen their forest home disappear around them, they’re also targets for poachers. In their homeland, macaques are considered a local delicacy and are often the food choice for special occasions such as weddings. That’s why our conservationists have provided support to the local communities, while also investigating the main causes of deforestation, which all helps to protect the incredible diversity of animals living on the island of Sulawesi.”