Staff at Belfast Zoo have been celebrating the birth of two new babies in their resident François’ Langur family group.
The medium-sized primates are native to the forests of Southeast Asia, from south-eastern China to northern Vietnam.
With only 2,000 individuals left in the wild, the leaf-eating monkey species is listed as endangered making any new births a special occasion.
Experienced mum Nicolene was said to have proudly showed keepers her new baby on December 11, while a second baby arrived to mum Chua on January 18 - with male François langur AJ father to both.
The newborns are easy to spot with their bright orange colour, contrasting from adults who are black in colour with a distinctive white stripe running on each side of their face.
Babies will typically change to becoming fully black within their first year.
Curator Andrew Hope is the Studbook keeper for Europe’s François’ langur breeding programme.
“We are delighted to welcome the two new infants into our Francois Langur group,” he said.
“Over 20 langur babies have been born here and each one is crucial to the Francois Langur European Endangered Species Programme (EEP), which has set goals to grow the population over the next five years.
“This will aid the long-term management plan that Belfast Zoo has recently established in co-operation with the EAZA office, the EAZA Afro-Eurasian Monkey TAG (Taxon Advisory Group) and the holders of the species.”
While the sex of the two new arrivals has yet to be determined, the zoo has reported that both babies and mothers are thriving - with the older already beginning to find their feet and explore independently and interact with their younger sibling.
Visitors can now see the François’ Langur family at Belfast Zoo, located next door to the Goodfellow’s Tree Kangaroos.
The zoo is open every day from 10am-4pm, with last admissions at 2.30pm.
Further information is available at www.belfastzoo.co.uk
