Staff cheer birth of rare lemur

The baby lemur, which has not yet been named, is settling in well

Staff at Bristol Zoo Gardens are celebrating the birth of an extremely rare lemur.

The Lac Alaotra gentle lemur is endangered and staff say the new arrival is an important addition to the European Endangered Species Programme.

The baby, who has not yet been named, is said to be settling in well and is being cared for by mother Lucy and father Isaboy.

Lemurs are tree-dwelling mammals, native to Madagascar in Africa.

The Lac Alaotra gentle lemur is threatened due to its highly restricted range and specialised habitat.

'Extremely satisfying'

The wild population struggles for survival in the rapidly disappearing marshes that fringe Lake Alaotra in the African nation, where they are hunted and kept as pets in local villages.

Mel Gage, overseer of primates at Bristol Zoo Gardens, said: "We are extremely excited that our new adult female, Lucy, is proving such a good mother.

"Our previous gentle lemurs needed supplement feeding, as they were unable to suckle.

"Seeing the mother and baby settling in together is extremely satisfying."

The European Endangered Species Programme is managed by Jersey Zoo.