Critically endangered orangutan born at Chester Zoo

Credit: Chester Zoo Keepers at Chester Zoo have released footage of the firstmoments of their new baby orangutan.

The newborn is yet to be named and can beseen cradled by its doting mother, Leia.

Keepers say the new arrival is‘bright and alert’ and is suckling well from mum.

Bornean orangutans arelisted as critically endangered in the wild.

The species is threatened byillegal hunting, habitat destruction and loss of forest for the creation ofpalm oil plantations.

Recent estimates suggest as few as 55,000 orangutansremain on the island of Borneo in Indonesia, which is the only place they canbe found in the wild.

The group of orangutans at Chester Zoo are part of aninternational breeding programme working to conserve the species.