Rare Bornean orangutan born at Chester Zoo

Mum Leia with her newborn

A critically endangered Bornean orangutan has been born at Chester Zoo.

The baby was born on 7 October and the zoo has said both mum Leia and the infant are doing well.

Primate experts at the zoo say the birth is "an important step forward" in efforts to safeguard the species.

Several zoos in the UK have Bornean orangutuns including Chester Zoo, Paignton zoo and Wingham Wildlife Park, which celebrated its first baby back in July.

All the zoos take part in breeding programmes for the critically endangered species.

The tropical forests of Borneo are only place on Earth where Bornean orangutans can be found in the wild.

Unfortunately due to unsustainable palm oil production, logging and farming these habitats have been reduced.

Poaching and illegal hunting have also impacted Bornean orangutun populations which are considered a species requiring the highest conservation priority by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Bornean orangutans are one of three orangutan species, all of which are critically endangered.

The newborn in Chester is part of an international conservation breeding programme that's working to protect the species from extinction.

Other work the zoo does includes working alongside an organisation in Borneo on on projects like the reforestation of a wildlife corridor connecting two important areas of habitat so that the orangutuns can move safely between them.

Orangutuns are critically endangered

Chris Yarwood, Assistant Team Manager of Primates at Chester Zoo, said:

"The baby is still tiny and we haven't yet been able to determine the sex - but what really matters is that it's healthy and that Leia is doing a brilliant job, as we knew she would.

"Any birth of a Bornean orangutan is incredibly special given how threatened the species is.

"It's an important step forward for the international conservation breeding efforts that are working to prevent this iconic animal from disappearing forever."