A critically endangered monkey has given birth just months after surgeons saved her foot in a pioneering operation.
Masaya was the first ever roloway monkey to undergo surgery which removed a golf-ball sized mass from her foot.
The 15-year-old primate had one toe amputated during the procedure at University of Liverpool’s Small Animal Teaching Hospital.
Just months later, Masaya is walking tall after giving birth at Chester Zoo.
Little Lagertha was born two weeks ago and is Masaya’s third daughter.
Zoe Edwards, primate keeper at Chester Zoo, said: “Masaya is a very experienced mum and she’s parenting magnificently.
“Lagertha is only a few weeks old and is very dinky, but already curious about the roloway monkey habitat and inquisitive about us.
“The fact Masaya’s foot has healed so well is a huge relief.
“If she’d had an amputation, we’d have been left with real questions about whether she could hold her offspring or continue with her normal behaviours.”
The third successful birth represents a landmark moment in protecting the survival of roloway monkeys.
Roloway monkeys at Chester Zoo originate from West Africa and are listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
In their natural habitat they are blighted by hunters and illegal pet dealers, who have triggered an 80 per cent fall in their numbers.
Once common in the lush rainforests of Ghana and the Ivory Coast, the Roloway monkey now survives only in isolated pockets of old-growth forest.
Primate keeper Zoe added: “Chester Zoo is one of only two places in the UK that roloway monkeys can be found, and Masaya is very important – not just to her family, but to her whole species.
“There are only a few breeding females in zoos in Europe.”
Masaya had experienced recurring problems with her foot since she came to the zoo in 2023.
Despite x-rays, ultrasounds and biopsies, vets struggled to identify the cause – eventually concluding a likely persistent abscess, possibly from an old thorn injury.
When the swelling worsened in 2025, the decision was made to take Masaya to Liverpool for a CT scan.
Charlotte Bentley, Veterinary Officer at the zoo’s Animal Health Centre, said: “It’s not every day you take a monkey to vet school.
“We had to bring everything she might need, from anaesthesia equipment to medications and blankets.
“Following the scan, we decided an operation was the way forward. She’s been an absolute trooper all the way through, and I’m just glad we were able to do something for her.”
Rachel Burrow, vet and lecturer at the University of Liverpool, played a key role in the CT scan and the operation.
She said: “This was the last chance to save Masaya’s foot before amputation.
“Working with primates is completely different from my usual patients, who are typically cats and dogs, and it was a real privilege to care for such a rare animal.
“It’s great to see the surgery was a success – she’s comfortable, active and using the limb well.”
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