Chanuka
It’s always exciting news when a zoo announces the birth of a new baby animal, but when the baby is a member of an endangered species, the excitement and significance is multipliedThe lemur, native to Madagascar, is now the most endangered group of mammals in the world, with 94% of lemur populations at risk of disappearing.
“While the situation is now quite desperate, it’s the knowledge, skills and expertise gathered by experts at conservation zoos like ours that will play a vital role in preventing the extinction of highly threatened species, just like the Coquerel’s sifaka,” said Jordan.
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Coquerel’s sifaka lemur is one of the most endangered groups of mammals in the world. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the species’ population has been severely impacted by habitat destruction by humans and being hunted for the meat trade.
The Coquerel’s sifaka gets its nickname from its unique movement – they stand upright on their back legs and spring side to side. They can also leap more than 20 feet through treetops in a single bound.
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The baby will eventually learn to climb trees independently at around six months old, but for now, it will be riding on its mother’s back and continuing to bond.The arrival of this newborn Coquerel’s sifaka lemur has reignited hope for the species’ future.
The Chester Zoo announced the arrival of the baby Coquerel’s sifaka, the first ever born in Europe, as part of a conservation breeding program.
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The parents, Beatrice and Elliot, were translocated from the US to the Chester Zoo 18 months ago, and the birth of their baby marks the first successful breeding of the species in Europe.The baby Coquerel’s sifaka was born with a thick white coat and weighed just 119 grams.
Recently, the Chester Zoo in England celebrated the birth of a baby Coquerel’s sifaka lemur, which experts are calling a “landmark moment” due to the species’ rarity and critical endangerment.
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“The birth of a Coquerel’s sifaka in Europe is a real landmark moment for conservation and, importantly, has kickstarted the endangered species breeding programme in European zoos for the species – which could be the lifeboat that prevents them from becoming wiped out completely,” said Mike Jordan, Director of Animals and Plants at Chester Zoo.
As a not-for-profit conservation and education charity, the zoo works with 140 international animal conservation breeding programs, and has been working to protect habitats and unique species in Madagascar for more than a decade.
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Experts say it will continue to cling to its mother for the first few weeks of its life, “riding on her like a backpack” until it is about six months old. Zookeepers will determine the sex once the newborn becomes more independent from its mother.
How cute is this lemur! Congratulations to the Chester Zoo for their exceptional achievement in giving hope to the critically endangered species through this historic birth. Let’s spread the word and share this amazing news.
