A rare Bornean orangutan has been born at Chester Zoo in the UK, marking a significant boost for the global breeding programme working to save the critically endangered species.

The infant was delivered by experienced mother Leia in the early hours of Oct. 7 after an eight-and-a-half-month pregnancy. Zoo staff say both mother and baby are healthy and bonding well.

“Leia is a wonderful mum,” said Chris Yarwood, Assistant Team Manager of Primates at Chester Zoo. "She’s extremely attentive and has spent the first few days holding her baby close and feeding regularly. Any birth of a Bornean orangutan is incredibly special given how threatened the species is."

Conservationists describe the birth as an important step in global efforts to protect the species from extinction.

Bornean orangutans are found only in the rainforests of Borneo island in Southeast Asia, where deforestation, palm oil production and poaching have destroyed more than 40 percent of their habitat since 2000.

All three orangutan species are currently listed as Critically Endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.