Endangered François’ langur monkey born at Twycross Zoo

"With their bright orange fur, baby François’ langurs are instantly recognisable."

Twycross Zoo is celebrating the birth of a new-born François’ langur — one of the world’s most endangered primate species.
 
The infant was born recently at the zoo, bringing the number of François’ langurs in Twycross Zoo’s troop to eight.

Dr Rebecca Biddle, Director of Conservation at Twycross Zoo, said: “We’re absolutely delighted to announce the birth of a François’ langur at Twycross Zoo. It’s always a special occasion when we welcome a new animal to the zoo, but this birth is an especially important one because of how endangered the species is.
 
“As a conservation charity, our primary purpose is to preserve and protect the species with whom we share our planet. The addition of a new-born François’ langur is fantastic news, as there are only around 2000 of them remaining in the wild.
 
“Unfortunately, wild populations of François’ langurs continue to decline, so this new arrival is a welcome addition to the troop and is a sign of hope for ongoing efforts to preserve this species.”
 
Native to China and northern Vietnam, the François’ langur is currently listed as “endangered” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.

Only 2000 François’ langurs are estimated to live in the wild.
 
Since the infant’s arrival, it has been cared for by its 17-year-old mother under the watchful eye of the zoo’s team of primate experts, zookeepers, and veterinarians and has been carefully introduced to the troop by its mother.

Kelly Salisbury, Primate Keeper at Twycross Zoo was one of the first to discover the infant, said: “The team is incredibly excited to welcome a baby François’ langur to the zoo. With their bright orange fur, baby François’ langurs are instantly recognisable and will be super easy for visitors to spot on their next visit. 
 
“With the Easter holidays in full swing, there’s no better time for guests to come and meet our new baby François’ langur and learn more about this fascinating species.”