Masaya’s a mum! Endangered monkey whose foot was saved from amputation offers beginning to child lady

An endangered monkey whose foot was saved from amputation has welcomed a ‘dinky’ baby girl into the world – and is said to be ‘parenting magnificently’.

Fifteen-year-old Masaya gave birth to Lagertha months after a complex operation to remove a golf ball-sized mass from her limb.

Despite finding no previous examples of surgery on roloway monkeys, vets at Chester Zoo worked their magic and adapted techniques for the procedure last summer.

Working alongside surgeons from the University of Liverpool, the team managed to save all but one of Masaya’s toes.

Adorable photos of Masaya and her offspring have now showcased the pair’s strong bond.

In one image, the mother can be seen clutching her little girl tightly as they share a heartfelt moment for the camera.

Another picture gives a glimpse into Lagertha’s sprightly step as she leaps through the grounds of her home, Chester Zoo. 

Adorable photos of Masaya and her offspring have now showcased the pair’s strong bond

Another picture gives a glimpse into Lagertha’s sprightly step as she leaps through the grounds of her home, Chester Zoo

Masaya, now a mother-of-three, had been suffering recurring problems with her foot since she arrived in Chester in 2023

Zoe Edwards, primate keeper at the 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.’

Lagertha, named after a Viking queen, is just over four weeks old and about the size of a tennis ball.

The zoo is one of two places in the UK where roloway monkeys can be found and there are only a few breeding females in Europe, Ms Edwards said.

Masaya, now a mother-of-three, had been suffering recurring problems with her foot since she arrived in Chester in 2023 and vets believe the abscess may have been caused by an old thorn injury.