Second Golden Snub-Nosed Monkey Born at Pairi Daiza

Pairi Daiza zoo in Belgium has welcomed a second golden snub-nosed monkey birth in just over a month, marking a significant milestone for the conservation of this endangered species. The baby was born on April 20, 2026, at 22:30, just weeks after the historic first birth on March 17, according to HLN.

A Second Birth in Record Time

The newborn’s mother is Juan Juan, a female golden snub-nosed monkey born in April 2021, who arrived at Pairi Daiza in May 2025 from the Qinling Giant Panda Research Centre in China. The father is Liu Yun, a male born in April 2019. The first baby was born to mother Lu Lu on March 17, making these the only two golden snub-nosed monkeys ever born in Belgium.

Dr. Yang Liu, veterinarian at Pairi Daiza, described the moment as deeply meaningful for the entire team. “The baby was born safely and drank colostrum well, which is very good news,” he said. “It was a very important moment for the whole team.” The gender of the second baby has not yet been announced.

Conservation Breakthrough

The golden snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus roxellana) is classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, with a wild population estimated at fewer than 4,000 individuals. Native to the temperate and coniferous forests of the Qinling Mountains in China’s Shaanxi province, the species is far rarer than its Sichuan counterparts.

These births are the direct result of a scientific collaboration between Pairi Daiza and the China Wildlife Conservation Association (CWCA). As reported by Gazet van Antwerpen, the zoo described the first birth as representing “much more than just a moment” — it is a testament to the success of the international breeding program.

European Significance

Pairi Daiza is currently the only institution in the Benelux that houses this species. The three golden snub-nosed monkeys — Liu Yun, Lu Lu, and Juan Juan — arrived at the zoo in May 2025. ZooParc de Beauval in France also welcomed a golden snub-nosed monkey birth on March 11, 2026, making these the first births of this species ever recorded outside Asia, according to ZooFlits.

Chinese and European teams worked meticulously to replicate the monkeys’ natural environment at Pairi Daiza, ensuring the animals could adapt to their new surroundings. The successful breeding confirms that the collaboration program is working effectively.

The China-Belgium Conservation Partnership

The golden snub-nosed monkeys at Pairi Daiza were obtained through the same Chinese organization that lends giant pandas to zoos worldwide. Under a lease arrangement, the animals remain property of China. They may stay in European zoos for up to 10 years, while offspring must return to China at 5 years of age.

This model mirrors the “panda diplomacy” framework and ensures continued scientific collaboration between Chinese and European conservation programs. The births strengthen the partnership between Belgium and China in wildlife conservation and demonstrate that the species can successfully reproduce in human care outside of China, in a climate very different from their native mountain habitat.

What’s Next

With two healthy babies now at Pairi Daiza, attention turns to the long-term management of this small but growing population. The gender of the second baby has yet to be determined, as the mother continues to protect her offspring closely. The zoo has not yet announced whether further breeding attempts are planned.

These births represent a major breakthrough for ex-situ conservation of the golden snub-nosed monkey. With fewer than 4,000 individuals remaining in the wild, every birth contributes meaningfully to genetic diversity and species survival. The success at Pairi Daiza and ZooParc de Beauval offers hope that this remarkable species can thrive under human care, serving as a vital insurance population against extinction in the wild.