VISITORS have witnessed a once-in-a-lifetime birth of a critically endangered West African chimpanzee at Chester Zoo.

The new baby was safely delivered in front of a few astonished visitors at around 5pm on Saturday, July 13.

Conservationists at the zoo say the new baby girl, which is yet to be named, is in good health and is spending all of her time bonding with 27-year-old mum Alice and other chimpanzees at the zoo.

The new arrival has been hailed as a 'vital boost' to the conservation breeding programme for the species.

It is estimated that there are as few as 18,000 West African chimpanzees remaining in the wild.

Collections director at the zoo, Mike Jordan said: “This new baby is a significant addition to this multi-generational chimpanzee group at the zoo - and a vital boost to the conservation breeding programme for the critically endangered species.

“Alice and her daughter have bonded well and she’s doing a wonderful job of caring for her so far.

Wirral Globe:

"A new baby always creates lots of excitement and Alice has plenty of support from some of the other experienced mums in the group, who are all keen to lend a helping hand.

“The youngster provides particular cause for celebration given the plight of chimpanzees in Africa.

"More chimpanzees are hunted for the illegal bush meat trade than are born each year, causing populations to plummet in the wild.

"Couple that with the fact that humans are destroying their habitats and it’s easy to see why these fantastic animals – one of our closest cousins – are being pushed towards extinction.

“This new arrival is a step towards changing the fortunes for the species.”

The birth follows several years of scientific research which has assessed the genetics of all chimpanzees in European zoos, confirming the make-up of the group at Chester as hugely important to the future of the species.