Critically endangered romance brings Valentine’s baby
PUBLISHED 12/02/25
Monkey see, monkey woo: critically endangered romance results in Valentine’s baby!
Drusillas is celebrating the safe arrival of an adorable zoo-born just in time for Valentine’s Day: a critically endangered Sulawesi crested macaque baby. And members of the public can share the love by helping to choose a name for the new infant on our social media accounts!
Keepers are especially thrilled with the birth because just a year ago, romance was not on the cards for the new babe’s parents, who did not hit it off at first. Shy and retiring Mum, Ahsoka, arrived at Drusillas in December 2023 from Chester Zoo, and spent her first few months avoiding Dad, Moteck, who was too much of a big personality for her.
As well as different temperaments, the star-crossed pair also had to contend with a love rival: resident female macaque Lintang, who wasn’t impressed with having to compete for Moteck’s attention. But like all the best rom coms, after a bumpy start, the pair overcame the obstacles in their path to form a strong bond, and the precious infant was born earlier this year, on January 11th.
The news comes just ahead of Valentine’s Day to show that while the course of true love doesn’t always run smooth, you’ll get there in the end! More importantly, the birth represents a crucial boost for this at risk species. Sulawesi black crested macaques are categorised as critically endangered in the wild and are one of over 20 different endangered and rare species living at Drusillas.
Head Keeper, Gemma Romanis said: “We’re absolutely delighted that Ahsoka has the ‘happy ever after’ ending she deserves after a tricky settling in period. She didn’t ‘click’ instantly with Moteck and Lintang, but after some perseverance, they’ve worked things out and the result has been the birth of a wonderful new infant at the zoo.
She continued: “The baby, which we are 95% sure is a female, is doing so well. It’s great to see first-time Mum Ahsoka taking motherhood in her stride, with a newfound confidence we’re all thrilled with. The healthy arrival this baby provides a crucial boost for the macaque population, and we’re all really proud to play our part in keeping this beautiful primate from extinction.
“The genetic footprint of Dad, Moteck is the most important in the European population of this critically endangered species, because he is what is known as a ‘founder animal’. Every birth at the zoo is cause for celebration, but especially so if it also makes a meaningful contribution to conservation, like this new arrival.”
Alongside a successful breeding programme at the zoo, Drusillas’ new conservation charity – Drusillas Conservation in Action - has extended the conservation efforts for Sulawesi crested macaques by partnering with an Indonesian conservation, research and education programme: Selamatkan Yaki. The programme’s tireless work to help endangered and protected species in North Sulawesi is critical, because populations of Sulawesi crested macaques in the wild have declined by 80% over the last 40 years.
Drusillas Conservation in Action charity has donated vital funds to Selamatkan Yaki to finance a full-time ‘monkey guard’ to protect macaques in their native habitat. Sadly, this is essential because the principal threat to their survival is over-hunting for meat. In Indonesia the macaque is considered a delicacy and often served for special occasions.
Ramenpudi Seba, known as ‘Ara’, works for Selamatkan Yaki managing human-wildlife interactions between macaques and the local community in Batuputih. Ara says: “I want to help to manage the situation when humans and monkeys meet and protect the yaki (the Indonesian name for macaques) so that they are not harmed by people who do not like their presence.“
Ara has worked as a monkey guard for over 3 years and hugely enjoys his role - other than the few occasions when he has fallen into a river, as a result of keeping his eyes on the monkeys, rather than his footing. He says: “I have admiration for their ability to climb trees so easily and can imagine the look of glee on their faces when I fall in the river!”
Closer to home, anyone who would like to help name the adorable new macaque infant at Drusillas can do so by visiting the Park’s social accounts (@drusillaspark) to vote for the baby name they like best. In a nod to Drusillas celebrating their 100-year anniversary, keepers have chosen ‘vintage’ names that that were popular in 1925: Elsie, Gertrude, Muriel, and Ethel.
If you’d like to see the baby before you make your choice, visitors in half-term will be able to spot her in the Park’s macaque habitat. Mum Ahsoka is sweetly carrying the baby in her arms most of the time, but she is starting to venture away to explore the world, by climbing and enthusiastically jumping!
Black crested macaques are known for their jet black hair, striking amber eyes, and bright pink bottoms - although the youngest member of the Drusillas macaque troop will not develop these physical attributes for some time, and visitors should look out for a sweet hairless pink face for the next few months.