Adorable baby monkey born at UK zoo offers new hope for endangered species

03 March 2024 , 15:51

644     0

The baby monkey was born with bright orange fur (Image: No credit)

A baby monkey born with bright orange fur has been described by keepers as a 'ray of sunshine' - and has offered a beacon of hope for the endangered species it descends from.

Whipsnade Zoo, Bedfordshire, is now home to a one-week-old Francois' langur, who was born to mother Lulu and father Wang in the early hours of February 17. While adult Francois' langurs sport monochromatic coats, infants are born with striking orange hair, as images show the flame-coloured newborn cuddling into its mother's dark black fur.

Whipsnade zookeeper Amanda Robinson said the team were ecstatic when they saw Lulu cradling her bright orange baby. She said: "It's believed the babies are born with bright orange locks so that parents can easily spot the youngster when they're being cared for by the troop.

"Over time this hair will fade to black. The bright orange hair certainly makes it easier for keepers and visitors to spot the new addition!", she added.

Native to China and northern Vietnam, Francois' langurs are listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List of threatened species and their numbers have continued to fall in the wild, making the recent birth internationally important.

Furious chimp launches bottle at girl filming him leaving her bleeding at zoo

The baby monkey with bright orange fur being cradled by its mother (No credit)

"Sadly, in the wild the number of Francois' langurs are plummeting, so this newborn really is a ray of sunshine and a sign of hope for the species," Ms Robinson said.

At the Francois' langurs habitat, older sister Nguyen has been keen to share parenting responsibilities with mum Lulu, as she has also been seen taking care of the newborn. Ms Robinson said: "Nguyen has been staying close to her mum Lulu and giving her a break when she needs to eat or drink."

"She's been treating the newborn like it's her own baby, which is exactly what you'd see in the wild it shows the eight-year-old has picked up great skills from the older members of the troop."

The infant was born as part of a European Endangered Species Breeding Programme (EEP), an internationally coordinated conservation initiative which aims to boost the numbers of species that are threatened in the wild.

Conservationists estimate there are only 2,000 of these primates left in the wild as the species faces threats from illegal hunting for their meat and for traditional medicinal purposes. The langur troop can be found at Whipsnade Zoo's new Monkey Forest which opens to the public on March 29.

Zahra Khaliq