Rare 'dancing' lemur born at Chester Zoo

Chester Zoo is celebrating the birth of a baby Coquerel's sifaka.

Also known as a 'dancing lemur', the species is one of the rarest primates in the world.

Keepers say that both mother and baby are doing very well and that "they've been inseparable so far."

The new arrival is a huge boost for conservation efforts, with dancing lemurs listed as critically endangered on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list of threatened species.

What's happened?

The baby lemur was born on 20 January to parents Beatrice and Elliot.

The tiny arrival weighed around 100g - that's around the same weight as two boiled eggs.

It's also around the size of a tennis ball.

Dr Nick Davis, from Chester Zoo, explained that "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."

Keepers say that the baby lemur will begin to branch out and explore on its own at around six months old - at which point they'll be able to determine if it is male or female.

Dancing lemurs can only be found in the wild on the island of Madagascar, off the coast of east Africa.

According to the zoo, 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'.

Lemurs play a huge role in maintaining forest diversity, by helping spread seeds and pollen from one area to another.

Experts say that the Coquerel's sifaka population has decreased by 80% in the last 30 years due to loss of habitats.

The species is now classed as critically endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

This means it's at extremely high risk of extinction in the wild.

Dr Davis added: "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."