Press release - macaque baby

A STAR IS BORN AT LONDON ZOO

One of London Zoo's latest additions, Kema, a baby Sulawesi crested macaque (Macaca nigra), is keeping her keepers busy. The tiny endangered monkey, one of the many animals stars of the new Documentary, 'Zoo', on BBC One, keeps Karen Nolan and her fellow primate keepers up all night as she requires bottle-feeding every four hours.

Kema was abandoned at birth by her mother, Gema, and as a last resort the keepers decided to hand-rear her. Viewers can follow the first anxious hours of Kema's life on Thursday 15 July at 7pm on the BBC One documentary 'ZOO' when keepers make difficult decisions about her future.

'After a difficult start she is doing really well.' says keeper Karen Nolan 'Hand-rearing is not ideal but we are making sure that she has some contact with her family group. Our main aim is that she will eventually be integrated back with her own kind.'

Kema was born on 19 May and weighed 405 grammes at birth. She now weighs 525 grammes and receives 25-35mls of milk formula every four hours. Her father, Ash, is the dominant male of a successful group of seven Sulawesi Crested macaques at London Zoo.

'The BBC crew followed Kema almost from the minute she was born' says Karen 'The programme on Thursday really shows that zoo keeping isn't all just mucking out and feeding. There are difficult and often heart-wrenching decisions to be made.'

Sulawesi Crested macaques are endangered in the wild. They come from a large Indonesian island and there are thought to be only 5,000 individuals left in protected areas. They are under threat from habitat destruction and are hunted for food and the pet trade.

For further information please contact
Debbie Curtis - 0171 449 6363, Helen Golesworthy - 0171 449 6361, Joe Laing 0171 449 6236

BBC Factual Publicity - Jamie Austin , 0181 752 7033

Notes to Editors

ZOO
An ambitious and intricate portrait of London Zoo and its Bedfordshire counterpart, Whipsnade Wild Animal Park on BBC One. The twice-weekly visits offer a fascinating portrait of birth, life and death in the two animal collections from the perspectives of the staff, visitors and animals.

Narrated by Andrew Lincoln (This Life) Zoo is behind-the scenes look at the conservation landmarks, inviting viewers into the extraordinary lives inside and outside the enclosures.