PREVIEW

Conservationists at Chester Zoo are joyfully marking the birth of a critically endangered Coquerel’s sifaka lemur - one of Madagascar’s most distinctive animals.
The newborn, weighing approximately 120g, is the offspring of 11-year-old Beatrice and 10-year-old Elliot, following a five-month pregnancy.
Initial images capture the bright-eyed baby bonding with its mother, clinging tightly to her fur as they navigate from tree to tree. Primate experts anticipate that, at around three months old, the infant will commence solo exploration, revealing its gender at that time.
Known as the 'dancing lemur,' Coquerel’s sifakas exhibit a unique upright stance, utilising powerful legs to spring side to side along the ground and leaping over 20ft through treetops in a single bound. Their distinctiveness has led to them featuring in David Attenbrough’s wildlife documentaries.
Chester Zoo, the sole UK facility and one of three in Europe caring for these lemurs, received parents Beatrice and Elliot in 2021 from the Duke Lemur Center in the USA as part of a conservation breeding programme aimed at protecting the species from extinction. It is restricted to small areas of Madagascar, and its numbers may have fallen into the tens of thousands due to habitat loss.
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.”
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.”
Chester Zoo has collaborated with in-country partners and the NGO Madagasikara Voakajy for over a decade. Together, they have played a vital role in establishing The Mangabe New Protected Area in Madagascar, spanning over 27,000 hectares. This protected forest area aims to safeguard lemurs, frogs, reptiles, and various threatened species, offering hope for the survival and thriving future of unique wildlife like the Coquerel’s sifaka.