THE Welsh Mountain Zoo is celebrating the arrival of a new baby chimpanzee, having hand reared proud mum Tuppence some 34 years ago.

Baby girl, Dalasi, born just weeks ago to mum, Tuppence and dad, Sixpence, is already out and about within the enclosure, staying super close to mum.

Tuppence has been a resident at the Colwyn Bay zoo for many years and was hand reared by Nick Jackson, CEO, when she was sadly rejected by her mum as an infant and came to live with Nick and his family for the first two years of her life.

She has since given birth to Jessie (who remains at the zoo), and Nickel, who has since moved to Ravenna Zoo.

Mr Jackson said: "This is a lovely development.

"I have a special connection with Tuppence having been so involved in her early years when she lived as part of our family.

"Of course, I still visit regularly but the key to her success as a breeding mother has been her integration into a group of chimps so a close bond with me could not be sustained. This strategy worked and she has been a lovely parent.

“Dalasi is absolutely adorable and is showing all the developmental signs and behaviours that we would expect and like to see.”

“We’ve had huge success in breeding chimps through the years and it’s lovely to see one of our longest standing and very special residents give birth again to a very healthy baby."

There are currently 10 chimps at the zoo, ranging in ages up to 55 years old.