Wellington Zoo Has Just Welcomed a New Chimpanzee Baby

There's a lockdown baby boom happening all over the country, but an entrant for one of the cutest contenders is the brand new baby chimp welcomed this week at Wellington Zoo. Crowd favourite Sally the Chimpanzee gave birth to her eagerly-awaited new baby on Monday, November 1, after going into labour in the early hours of the morning. 

Keepers arrived to find Sally already bonding with the new arrival, with both mum and bubs "happy and well". 

 

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The new bub is definitely worth celebrating. Chimpanzees are classified as endangered animals, with the new baby part of Wellington Zoo's international breeding programme to protect chimps for future generations. 

Father and the community alpha Alexis is also apparently a very hands-on dad, acting protectively over the pair and reportedly giving Sally a well-deserved groom. There's no name yet — Sally has reportedly been keeping her little one close to her chest and is spending a lot of time indoors, so keepers haven't been able to get close enough to see the sex. 

This means it might be a little hard for zoo visitors and well-wishers to get close enough to spot the closely guarded new baby. But, if you head along in the coming days to join in the festivities, and you might manage to catch a glimpse! 

To learn more Wellington Zoo's protection programme head to the website, or keep up to date with new arrivals and animal news on via its social pages.