Fran the François: Zoo’s new arrival celebrates Lionesses’ success

Staff at Twycross Zoo in Leicestershire have named the zoo’s latest arrival after midfielder Fran Kirby, following the Lionesses’ victory at the Euro 2022 final yesterday.  ‘Fran the François’ is a François Langur, an endangered species that originates from the tropical forests of China and Vietnam.

Dr Rebecca Biddle, Director of Conservation at Twycross Zoo said:

“We’ve all been gripped by the excitement and energy of the Lionesses during their Euros campaign. François’ Langurs live in groups of between 4 and 27, in a matriarchal society where the females share parenting responsibilities with each other, and we hope that naming our latest special arrival after Fran Kirby, one of the incredible players from this inspiring women’s team, is a fitting tribute to their success.”

Fran the François was born on 8th July to mum Lychee, who has been at Twycross Zoo since 2009, and dad Chow who arrived in 2016.