THE world’s rarest chimpanzee has been born at a British zoo, sparking whoops of joy from conservationists.
New mum ZeeZee has been bonding with the healthy baby boy, who will be named after a music star as is tradition.
He was born on December 9 after an eight-month pregnancy at Chester Zoo, where there is a 22-strong group of western chimpanzees.
As few as 18,000 remain in Africa, with 80 per cent lost in the past 25 years.
Primatologists say the birth gives a “small but vital boost” to the species’ long-term survival prospects.
Andrew Lenihan, team manager at Chester Zoo, said: “We’re incredibly proud to see a precious new baby in the chimpanzee troop.
“Mum ZeeZee and her new arrival instantly bonded and she’s doing a great job of cradling him closely and caring for him.
“A birth always creates a lot of excitement in the group and raising a youngster soon becomes a real extended family affair. You’ll often see the new baby being passed between other females who want to lend a helping hand.”
They are under threat because of the illegal bush meat trade, diseases and extensive habitat loss.
The boy will get a celebrity name to help boost the species’ profile.
Mr Lenihan said: “We’ve previously welcomed Dylan (Bob), Alice (Cooper) and Annie (Lennox) — so watch this space.”
