Chester Zoo has celebrated the birth of a critically endangered Coquerel's sifaka, also known as a 'dancing lemur' - one of the world's rarest primates.

The tiny baby has arrived to parents, Beatrice and Elliot, bringing an end to a five-month pregnancy.

Born with thick fuzzy white fur and weighing approximately 100 grams, the youngster is only around the same size as a tennis ball.

First images released by zookeepers show mum Beatrice cradling her new baby as it clings to her belly.

Unlike other species of lemur, sifakas stand perfectly upright and use their powerful legs to spring side to side along the forest floor, which has resulted in the animals being nicknamed the 'dancing lemur'.

The youngster is only around the same size as a tennis ball (Image via: Chester Zoo)

Chester is the only zoo in the UK, and one of just three in Europe, to care for Coquerel's sifakas.

It has worked with the Duke Lemur Centre in America to establish a conservation breeding programme across the continent, that's working to prevent the rare primates from becoming extinct.

Currently just nine sifaka reside in the whole of Europe, with four now found in Chester.

The unique primates are found in only one place on Earth, the northwestern forests of Madagascar, where its wild population has declined by 80% in the last 30 years due to widespread deforestation.

As a result, the world's authority on the state of nature, The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), has officially classified the species as its highest conservation priority, critically endangered.

Our primate experts say the new arrival will begin to branch out and explore on its own at around six months old, at which point they'll determine if it is male or female.

Dr Nick Davis, mammals general manager, said: "The new baby has spent the first vital few weeks of life quietly bonding with mum, Beatrice.

"We're very happy to report that they're both doing great so far. We're seeing positive signs – they've been inseparable.

"What's really special though, is that the new arrival is joining a small family made up mum, dad and they're previous baby, Sofia.

"They're currently the only Coquerel's sifaka currently being cared for in the UK and the knowledge, skills and expertise our primate conservationists are developing will help to play an important role in protecting these precious primates.

"This success is paired with our ongoing efforts to protect the rainforests of Madagascar, where sifakas and other lemurs, as well as thousands of frogs and reptiles call home.

"By working alongside our in-country partners, Madagasikara Voakajy, we've helped to establish a huge 27,000 hectare protected area that will see the island's unique wildlife thrive long into the future."

For nearly 15 years, Chester Zoo has been protecting Madagascar's wildlife.

In 2015, its conservation partners, alongside the Malagasy government, established The Mangabe New Protected Area.

This vital sanctuary, which spans more than 27,000 hectares of untouched rainforest, is home to nine species of lemur and thousands of other threatened species that can only be found on the African island.