Baby Boom at Twycross Zoo!

Christmas has come early at Twycross Zoo, following the birth of two new babies from critically-endangered species!

In a fantastic moment for conservation all around the world, the Midlands-based zoo is swinging with joy thanks to the arrival of a Black-header spider monkey and a Northern white-cheeked gibbon.

Both new-borns are yet to be named and sex is currently unknown due to the important bonding period within the troop, however, both are doing very well under the watchful eye of doting parents Jamundi and Monty, and Kampuchea and Earl.

Black-headed spider monkeys spend all their time up in trees. Their forward-facing eyes make them very good at judging distances and they can jump up to nine metres from branch to branch. They also use their tail, which can grow up to 85cm, as a fifth limb, allowing them to hang freely from above!

Northern-white cheeked gibbons originate from tropical rainforests in Laos, Vietnam. They’re relatively small apes with long arms that they use to hang from branches and swing through trees. They eat mainly fruit, but also leaves, flowers and insects. Unlike other primates, they forage throughout the entire day.

Marked as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, the birth of these two animals is testament to Twycross Zoo’s conservation programmes and hard-working staff.