A baby pygmy marmoset (pigmej pazurczatka) – the world’s smallest monkey (najmniejsza na świecie małpka) – has been born at the municipal zoo in Lódź, central Poland.

The minuscule monkeys (mikroskopijne małpki), which hail from the rainforests of Latin America, grow to just 15 cm, and a newly-born marmoset is barely as long as a child’s finger.

Pygmy marmosets are a highly endangered species (wysoce zagrożone gatunki), and thus every new arrival is a big event for zoos attempting to rear the animals.

Lódź Zoo has two adult pairs, and the marmosets can live to over twenty years in captivity (11-12 years in the wild).

The birth, represents some much-needed good news for the zoo, just in time for Christmas.

The zoo lost three giraffes in recent months, including two females which collapsed in shock after a break-in.

In October, the giraffes’ mate Tofik followed, after succumbing to a sudden illness.

Zoo staff have left proud mum Dene to get used to her new arrival and will choose a name once the sex of the youngster has been confirmed.

Do następnego razu… (Till next time…)