Rare monkey born at wildlife park

The gender of the howler monkey will not be known until it grows older

Zoo keepers at Port Lympne wildlife park in Kent are celebrating the birth of a rare black howler monkey.

The baby's mother, Tolkien, developed cataracts at another zoo and was due to be put down, but Port Lympne paid for an operation to save her.

Five years on she has not only given birth but is also recovering her sight.

Keeper Jane Hopper said: "All the problems she has had have not affected her too badly and we hope she will have other babies and do well."

It will not be possible to determine the sex of the baby until it grows older.

Howler monkeys come from South America and are named because they howl extremely loudly to advertise their presence in their territory.