First glimpse at rare baby orangutan born at Chester Zoo

A bouncing baby Bornean orangutan was born to parents Sarikei and Willie at Chester Zoo in the early hours of Thursday, August 31.

Primate experts at the zoo say the rare baby is a "positive step in the right direction" for the protection of the highly threatened species.

The world’s authority on the state of nature, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), lists Bornean orangutans as critically endangered in the wild – ranking them as one of the species which requires the highest conservation priority.

The newborn orangutan will join a European-wide conservation breeding programme aiming to bolster the population of the rare primate in conservation zoos.

Mark Brayshaw, head of mammals at Chester Zoo, said: “The birth of an animal that’s so rare is always something to celebrate and seeing the new baby in the arms of mum Sarikei is incredibly special.

"She’s a great mum and has spent the first few days cradling her baby closely, feeding it regularly and building close bonds – all the signs are great so far.

“With the newborn just a few days old we’ve not yet managed to clearly identify if it’s male or female. What’s most important though is that there’s another healthy Bornean orangutan on the planet.

“To have a new addition within the international conservation breeding programme that’s working to safeguard the species’ future, is a hugely positive step in the right direction.”

Rampant habitat destruction has seen the lush rainforests of Borneo cleared for agriculture, logging and unsustainable oil palm plantations.

The enormous loss of habitat, coupled with illegal hunting and conflict with farmers when orangutans enter areas where their forest homes once stood, have driven the animals to the very edge of existence.

Since the turn of the 21st century, the country has lost more than 40 per cent of its rainforests.

Mike Jordan, animal and plant director at the zoo, added: "This relentless habitat loss has seen rainforests, and many of the thousands of species living in them, completely disappear with incredible pace.

“Our efforts to protect Bornean orangutans extend far beyond the boundaries of our conservation zoo. We are on the ground in Southeast Asia, working with in-country partners and NGOs to help tackle the deforestation and palm oil crisis that has engulfed the region.

"Our work there involves restoring habitats and mitigating human-wildlife conflict while promoting sustainable initiatives to palm oil farmers such as creating wildlife corridors to allow orangutans the freedom to move through plantations and between forests.

"Back home in the UK we’ve spearheaded a campaign that has seen sustainable palm oil, sourced from accredited farms that are working to benefit wildlife, become the norm in a handful of communities across the country – with more joining the movement all the time."

The zoo hopes that Sarikei's new baby will help to highlight how shopping choices can have a substantial impact on thousands of animals - with palm oil found in 50 per cent of shopping items in the country.

Specialists at the zoo have helped to develop a new mobile app, PalmOil Scan, that allows shoppers to scan barcodes and discover which major companies are committed to the sustainable sourcing of palm oil.