Chester Zoo’s tiny newborn needs you: can your choices save a species after 40% forest loss?

Overnight, a critically endangered Bornean orangutan was born at Chester Zoo to mum Leia after an eight‑and‑a‑half‑month pregnancy, focusing attention on a species fighting for space, safety and a future.

New life at Chester Zoo

Keepers confirmed the birth took place in the early hours of Tuesday 7 October. Leia held her infant close from the first moments, nursing often and maintaining constant contact. Staff report that both are healthy. The team will confirm the sex once the youngster grows and routine checks can be done without stress.

The ape’s arrival forms part of an international breeding programme coordinated across accredited zoos. These coordinated plans track genetics, match pairs responsibly and avoid inbreeding. Chester Zoo contributes data, expertise and husbandry techniques used globally.

The infant was born to Leia in the early hours of 7 October; keepers say mum and baby are thriving.

Why this birth matters

The Bornean orangutan sits on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s Red List as Critically Endangered. In simple terms, that label means a high risk of extinction in the wild if current trends continue. Deforestation, illegal hunting and conflict with people who share the forest push numbers down.

Chester Zoo holds a unique position in Britain: it is the only UK zoo caring for both Bornean and Sumatran orangutans. That dual focus allows keepers to share specialist knowledge about diet, social dynamics and nest‑building across two species with overlapping needs.

Chester Zoo is the UK’s only collection caring for both Bornean and Sumatran orangutans.

What is pushing orangutans to the brink

Borneo’s tropical forests, the sole home of Bornean orangutans, have shrunk at speed. Since 2000, more than 40% of the habitat in some regions has disappeared as unsustainable palm oil expansion, logging and agricultural conversion cut into the canopy. Roads fragment the remaining trees, leaving isolated pockets that cannot support healthy populations.

When forests vanish, food sources thin and encounters with people rise. Young apes become vulnerable to poaching. Adults suffer when fruiting trees no longer appear in seasonal cycles. Conservationists now prioritise connecting remaining patches with wildlife corridors and supporting local livelihoods that don’t depend on clearing more land.

Since 2000, large areas of Borneo have lost over 40% of their forest cover because of unsustainable expansion.

Chester’s work in Borneo

For more than two decades, Chester Zoo has worked with partners in Sabah’s Kinabatangan region to restore degraded rainforest, reduce conflict and keep forest fragments linked. Those efforts, led on the ground by groups such as HUTAN, helped the Kinabatangan secure recognition as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, a status that blends community needs with nature recovery.

The approach goes beyond tree‑planting. Teams map animal movements, negotiate with landowners, and test ways to keep crops safe without harming wildlife. Education programmes encourage alternatives to burning or clearing. Each small fix adds up to safer passage for apes moving between feeding and nesting sites.

Kinabatangan’s recognition as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve reflects years of corridor building and community‑driven conservation.

How your shopping basket shapes forests

Palm oil appears in everyday goods, from biscuits and spreads to soap and shampoo. Boycotts can backfire, as replacements like soybean or coconut oil often need more land. The practical route is to back certified sustainable palm oil and press companies for traceable, deforestation‑free supply chains.

• Check labels for certified sustainable palm oil and prefer brands that publish supplier lists.
• Pick products that use less packaging and waste fewer ingredients, reducing pressure on farmland overall.
• Support retailers that set time‑bound, third‑party audited deforestation‑free commitments.
• Write to customer services to ask how they verify no forest loss in their palm oil and other commodities.
• Back conservation groups that fund wildlife corridors and community forestry in Borneo and Sumatra.

What visitors can expect at the zoo

In the first weeks, keepers usually give orangutan mums quiet routines. You may glimpse Leia carrying the infant on her chest or resting in a high nest. Patience helps. Give the family space, keep noise low and follow staff guidance. Short, calm visits reduce stress and help the baby settle into life among the treetops of its habitat.

The first months for Leia’s youngster

Orangutan infants cling to their mother for most of the day during the first months. Nursing continues for years, with one of the longest childhoods of any mammal. Youngsters learn to choose ripe fruit, craft leafy nests, and assess branches before moving through the canopy. At the zoo, caretakers tailor diets, provide climbing structures and set up puzzles that reward problem‑solving and dexterity.

Keepers will share the sex once the baby grows and routine health checks can be done without disruption. Visitors sometimes notice gradual changes first: tufts of hair, a stronger grip, and more confident climbs. Each milestone guides adjustments to the habitat and enrichment.

From labels to landscapes: turning intent into impact

Deforestation‑free commodities go beyond palm oil. Pulp and paper, cocoa, coffee and soy also shape tropical frontiers. The goal is traceability from plantation or farm to shelf, third‑party auditing, and credible complaint mechanisms. When retailers demand those standards, suppliers respond. When shoppers ask pointed questions, retailers move faster.

One practical tip removes guesswork: set a monthly reminder to check a few regular purchases and swap any weak performers for stronger ones. Over a year, that habit shifts dozens of items. Add a note to ask your favourite café about its palm oil policy, or your workplace about catering standards. Small signals accumulate.

Your basket can reward deforestation‑free supply chains faster than a boycott, and with fewer unintended consequences.

For families, turn a zoo trip into a gentle science exercise. Track how many different behaviours you spot in 20 minutes: feeding, resting, climbing, nesting, problem‑solving. Compare your list with signage on site. Back at home, try a “forest footprint” audit of five cupboard staples. Swap one product for a certified option each week. Over 12 weeks, that’s 12 cleaner choices supporting forests that orangutans still call home.