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Rare Monkey's Foot Saved by Novel Surgery
3 Apr
Summary
- A critically endangered roloway monkey received a groundbreaking surgery.
- The surgery saved the monkey's foot, preventing amputation.
- The monkey later gave birth to a healthy infant.
A critically endangered roloway monkey, Masaya, received a groundbreaking surgery to save her foot. Veterinarians at Chester Zoo performed a procedure never before attempted on the species to remove a golf ball-sized mass. This ultimately prevented the need for amputation, allowing Masaya to recover fully and use her limb for normal activities.
Masaya, who arrived at Chester Zoo in 2024, had a persistent foot issue that worsened significantly by the summer of 2025. After exhausting all other treatments, a CT scan at the University of Liverpool revealed that a unique surgery was the last resort before amputation. The procedure was successful, with only one toe requiring amputation.
Remarkably, just months after her recovery, Masaya gave birth to a healthy infant named Lagertha. This successful pregnancy and birth highlight the success of the surgery and offer a glimmer of hope for the critically endangered roloway monkey population, which faces threats from habitat loss and poaching in West Africa.
