KEY POINTS:
A baby chimpanzee has been born at Wellington Zoo - one week earlier than expected.
Husbandry manager Suzette Nicholson said Sally gave birth to the baby about 6am on Monday.
Both mother and baby appeared to be doing well, she said.
"We're unsure of the baby's sex at this stage, but we think it's a girl. Our chimpanzees are part of an international breeding programme, and a baby girl would be important for the region. Sally has had boys in the past."
The zoo suspected that Sam, their biggest male, was the father, but would be DNA testing the baby to make sure, Ms Nicholson said.
Sally and the baby had been in their indoor house with the rest of the troop for the last couple of days so they could all get acquainted, she said.
"The other chimps are interested in the baby, particularly Alexis our youngest chimp, but Sally is proving to be a protective mother. She will let them get near to the baby but she won't let them touch it."
The tiny baby would totally dependent on its mother for about four months and would cling to her for at least the first year, she said.
The new arrival brought the number of chimpanzees at the zoo to 13.
Chimpanzees are endangered.
The main threats to their falling population in the wild were hunting and destruction of their natural habitats due to logging.
- NZPA
