Rare baby sifaka born at Chester Zoo

Primate conservationists at Chester Zoo are celebrating the birth of a critically endangered Coquerel’s sifaka – also known as a ‘dancing lemur’.

The tiny baby has arrived to parents Beatrice (12) and Elliot (12), bringing an end to a five-month pregnancy.

Born with thick fuzzy white fur and weighing approximately 100 grams, the precious youngster is only around the same size as a tennis ball.

First images released by zookeepers show mum Beatrice carefully cradling her new baby as it clings to her belly.

Unlike other species of lemur, sifakas stand perfectly upright and use their powerful legs to spring side to side along the forest floor, which has resulted in the animals being nicknamed the ‘dancing lemur’.

Chester is the only zoo in the UK, and one of just three in Europe, to care for Coquerel’s sifakas, having worked with the Duke Lemur Centre in America to establish a conservation breeding programme across the continent that’s working to prevent the rare primates from becoming extinct. Currently just nine sifaka reside in the whole of Europe, with four now found in Chester. 

The unique primates are found in only one place on Earth, the northwestern forests of Madagascar, where its wild population has declined by 80% in the last 30 years due to widespread deforestation. As a result, the world’s authority on the state of nature, The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), has officially classified the species as its highest conservation priority, critically endangered.

Primate experts at the zoo say the new arrival will begin to branch out and explore on its own at around six months old, at which point they’ll determine if it is male or female.

Dr Nick Davis, Mammals General Manager at Chester Zoo, said:

“Every Coquerel’s sifaka birth is a huge cause for celebration.  There are very few remaining globally and every addition within the European conservation breeding programme is vital to the work we’re doing to safeguard the future of this species.

“The new baby has spent the first vital few weeks of life quietly bonding with mum, Beatrice, and we’re very happy to report that they’re both doing great so far. We’re seeing positive signs – they’ve been inseparable so far.

“What’s really special though, is that the new arrival is joining a small family made up mum, dad and they’re previous baby, Sofia. They’re currently the only Coquerel’s sifaka currently being cared for in the UK and the knowledge, skills and expertise our primate conservationists are developing will help to play an important role in protecting these precious primates.

“This success is paired with our ongoing efforts to protect the rainforests of Madagascar, where sifakas and other lemurs, as well as thousands of frogs and reptiles call home. By working alongside our in-country partners, Madagasikara Voakajy, we’ve helped to establish a huge 27,000 hectare protected area that will see the island’s unique wildlife thrive long into the future.”

For nearly 15 years, Chester Zoo has been protecting Madagascar’s wildlife and in 2015 its conservation partners, alongside the Malagasy government, established The Mangabe New Protected Area. This vital sanctuary, which spans more than 27,000 hectares of untouched rainforest, is home to nine species of lemur and thousands of other threatened species that can only be found on the African island. 

Coquerel's sifaka lemur facts

• The new baby was born on Monday 20 January to mum Beatrice and dad Elliot

• 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.