Many animals across the globe are in danger of becoming extinct — and the Sulawesi crested macaque monkey is one of them.
The Chester Zoo in Cheshire, England, recently welcomed a rare newborn monkey, one that will live in its habitat to help fortify the species.
The baby monkey was born on May 16 to mom Rumple and dad Masamma, but the baby monkey’s name is unknown as of now, according to British news service SWNS.
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The newborn was seen running about the habitat with its mother, eating and climbing about various tree branches.
The conservation works to breed the animals while safeguarding them from extinction, Mark Brayshaw, head of mammals at the Cheshire Zoo, told SWNS.
“Every birth is a step forward for the international conservation breeding program that’s working to safeguard the future of this critically endangered species,” he said.
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These particular monkeys would struggle to survive in the wild today, Brayshaw said.
“These charismatic monkeys face a plethora of threats in [the] wild … They’re also targets for poachers,” he added.
In Indonesia, the monkeys’ homeland, they are considered “a local delicacy” and many people eat them on special occasions, Brayshaw noted.
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Experts have estimated there are less than 5,000 Sulawesi crested macaque monkeys on the island of Sulawesi, Indonesia.
The monkeys are believed to normally live in groups of 25 to 30.
The rare monkeys’ population has decreased significantly over the last 40 years by 80%, according to SWNS.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature has listed the monkey as critically engendered, it also reported.
These monkeys can be identified by a narrow patch of hair that runs across the top of the head from behind the overhanging brow, according to Britannica.com.
