Born on February 1, St. Bridgid’s Day, it is the second offspring of Mei and Shinobi, both nine years old. The newborn adds to a small but growing family in Fota’s Asian Sanctuary, which is dedicated to the conservation of endangered species.

Mei and her younger sister, Kaili, arrived from Twycross Zoo in the UK in 2022 as part of a European breeding programme, with Shinobi joining them later from ZSL Whipsnade Zoo. This latest birth follows the arrival of Tang in November 2023, bringing the park’s François’ langur population to five.

Just like all newborn François’ langurs, the baby has a striking bright orange coat, which will darken over the next few months, eventually developing the species’ distinctive white sideburns.

Teresa Power, lead ranger, described the birth as a significant milestone for the breeding programme, highlighting the importance of conservation efforts for the species. “There is a wild population of 1,400 to 1,650 in China and fewer than 500 left in Vietnam”, she said.

Mei is thriving as a mother, with support from her sister, Kaili, who has taken on the role of an enthusiastic and caring aunt. This behaviour, known as “allomothering”, is common among François’ langurs, with females in the group assisting in raising the young. Tang, the baby’s older sister, is slowly adjusting to the new arrival and has been seen spending more time with her father, Shinobi.

Fota Wildlife Park is inviting the public to help name the newborn, whose gender has yet to be determined, via a form on its website.