Staff at Chester Zoo are celebrating the birth of two baby mandrills

The adorable young primates entered the world just a month apart last Autumn and are the first of their kind to be born at the zoo in more than a decade. The first to arrive was born to 10-year-old mum Brio on 27 October, providing her with her first taste of parenthood while the second infant arrived to more experienced mum, Obi on 23 November. The new babies are half siblings and share the same dad, Kamau. Siobhan Ward, Primate Keeper at the zoo, said: “To have two baby mandrills, born within weeks of each other, after more than 10 years, is just incredible.". The two new arrivals will only spend a few months at their mums’ sides before gaining enough confidence to explore on their own with the rest of the group. Mandrills’ numbers in the wild have declined significantly in recent years and they are listed on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List of threatened species. This is due to habitat loss and the bushmeat trade. The two youngsters will now join a co-ordinated breeding programme which will help Chester and other zoos safeguard the future of this charismatic species.