SPRING HAS SPRUNG: Twycross Zoo celebrates the birth of endangered François' langur

Leading conservation charity, Twycross Zoo, has today announced the arrival of a new-born François’ langur — one of the world’s most endangered species of primate.

The infant was born recently at the zoo, and this new arrival brings the number of François’ langurs in Twycross Zoo’s troop to eight, with the last addition being born back in 2022.

Native to China and northern Vietnam, the François’ langur is currently listed as “endangered” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. The wild population continues to decline, due to threats including habitat deforestation, and with only 2000 François’ langurs estimated to remain in the wild, the new arrival marks an important milestone in the conservation of this species.

Since the infant’s arrival, it has been cared for by its experienced, 17-year-old mother, and the rest of the troop, under the watchful eye of the zoo’s team of primate experts, zookeepers, and veterinarians and has been carefully introduced to the troop by its mother.

Dr Rebecca Biddle, Director of Conservation at Twycross Zoo, commented on the new arrival: “We’re absolutely delighted to announce the birth of a François’ langur at Twycross Zoo. It’s always a special occasion when we welcome a new animal to the zoo, but this birth is an especially important one because of how endangered the species is.

As a conservation charity, our primary purpose is to preserve and protect the species with whom we share our planet. The addition of a new-born François’ langur is fantastic news, as there are only around 2000 of them remaining in the wild.

Unfortunately, wild populations of François’ langurs continue to decline, so this new arrival is a welcome addition to the troop and is a sign of hope for ongoing efforts to preserve this species.”

Kelly Salisbury, Primate Keeper at Twycross Zoo was one of the first to discover the infant, who was born overnight, and shared their thoughts on the new arrival: “The team is incredibly excited to welcome a baby François’ langur to the zoo. With their bright orange fur, baby François’ langurs are instantly recognisable and will be super easy for visitors to spot on their next visit.

With the Easter holidays in full swing, there’s no better time for guests to come and meet our new baby François’ langur and learn more about this fascinating species.”

As well as seeing the latest addition to the zoo, guests can also discover egg-citing Easter activities until Sunday 14 April 2024. Included in the price of their ticket, visitors can take part in the brand new Zoodunnit Mystery Trail; find hidden Easter eggs to win on-the-spot prizes; and until Friday 5 April – meet Louie the giant animatronic orangutan.

Plus explore 100 acres of outdoor space whilst meeting hundreds of animals from 70 different species — including giraffes, penguins, tigers and its four species of great ape.

When booking, visitors to Twycross Zoo can now benefit from a brand-new annual ticket, enabling them to pay for a day and visit FREE for 12 months and enjoy the value of a whole year of fun.

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