Whipsnade Zoo 'over the moon' at birth of endangered monkey

The birth of an endangered monkey species in a zoo has been hailed as internationally important for conservation.

The male Francois' langur baby arrived on 6 August at Whipsnade Zoo in Bedfordshire but has remained mostly hidden away by his mother until recently.

The zoo said: "Native to China and northern Vietnam, their numbers continue to fall in the wild, making the birth internationally important. Conservationists estimate there are only 2,000 left in the wild due to illegal hunting."

He has been nicknamed Citrus because of his brightly coloured fur but will be given a permanent name in time.

Zookeeper Hayley Jakeman said: "We are over the moon that he is here, growing stronger and more confident by the day."