Chester Zoo, located in Cheshire County, England, celebrated the birth of a Roloway monkey named Lagertha, a species critically endangered with only around 2,000 specimens remaining worldwide. Masaya, Lagertha's mother, is a 15-year-old Roloway monkey who has captured the hearts of the online community since mid-2025, after surviving a complicated and innovative surgery on her leg.

Upon arriving at the zoo in 2023, Masaya experienced severe issues with one of her legs, where a mass the size of a golf ball was discovered. The zoo's veterinarians, in collaboration with surgeons from the University of Liverpool, faced the unprecedented challenge of operating on a Roloway monkey, an event that had never been documented before. Ultimately, they successfully removed the mass without amputation, saving all but one of her toes.

Masaya's story is not just about survival; it highlights the importance of conservation efforts for endangered species. The successful birth of Lagertha stands as a testament to these efforts and serves to raise awareness about the plight of the Roloway monkey, emphasizing the critical need for protective measures to ensure the survival of this species in the wild.