Don't steal all the blanket mum! Baby orangutan cuddles up to her mother after becoming latest of critically endangered species to be born in UK zoo

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A baby orangutan cuddles up to her mother as she becomes the latest to be born in a British zoo as experts try and stop one of the world's most endangered apes becoming extinct.

The newborn Sumatran orangutan arrived at Chester Zoo after her mother Emma gave birth in December last year.

The species is 'critically endangered' which makes the cheeky new arrival all the more special.

Keepers at the zoo in Cheshire were delighted that the baby was female and they named her Kesuma, meaning 'flower' in Indonesia.

Orangutan Emma, covered by a blanket, holds her newborn baby girl Kesuma as they relax in their enclosure

Cheeky Kesuma, whose birth was hailed a success story because the species is 'critically endangered' tries to hide under the blanket covering her mum

It was hailed as a major success story in the breeding programme for the highly threatened apes - with just 6,500 remaining in the wild. 

The species have been pushed to the brink of extinction in South East Asia by hunting, forest clearance and construction of oil palm plantations.

Tim Rowlands, curator of mammals at the zoo, said: “Emma’s baby girl Kesuma is her fifth youngster and she’s such a good mum.

“She’s incredibly attentive and it’s wonderful to see her and her latest arrival forging close bonds.

Kesuma hides under her mothers arms as she keeps a lookout. There are only 6,500 Sumatran Orangutans left in the wild

On the move: Kesuma, who was born in December, keeps a tight grip to her mother as she goes for a walk in the sunshine.

“She’s an incredibly important arrival for the conservation breeding programme and can hopefully throw a spotlight on the huge pressures that her cousins are facing in the wild.”

Chester Zoo is the only zoo in mainland Britain which cares for Sumatran orangutans.