Birth of rare anoa calf captured on footage for the first time at Chester Zoo in world first

• Watch the moment Kasimbar the anoa calf is born

Hidden cameras at Chester Zoo have captured the birth of the world's smallest species of wild cattle.

The footage is the first of its kind, showing mum Darcy safely delivering her baby anoa calf.

Zookeepers have named the tiny calf Kasimbar, after she stepped outside of the den to explore the outside world for the first time.

Anoas are found only in the forests and swamps of the Indonesian island of Sulawesi where their numbers are dwindling due to habitat loss and overhunting,

There is only an estimated 2,500 anoas in the wild.

The species is listed as endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) – meaning it faces a high chance of becoming extinct without intervention.

Conservationists at the zoo say the animals are also ‘largely misunderstood’ as they are often mistakenly persecuted by farmers who believe anoa leave the forest at night and use their horns to attack livestock – leading them to be known locally as ‘demons of the forest’.

Callum Garner, Keeper at Chester Zoo, said: "Very few people, if any, will have ever seen an anoa give birth. Anoa are incredibly shy and elusive animals and so to be able to witness a calf being born and then see those magical first moments between mum and baby is very special indeed. We’re privileged to be able to share this remarkable footage with the world.

"Some of the information we’ve gleaned from the footage may be useful in the conservation breeding of this endangered species in the future.

"Mum Darcy and her new baby, Kasimbar, are doing really well. Having spent the first few weeks of life bonding together in their den, the little one has now gained in confidence and is bursting with energy.

"Anoa are in real trouble in the wild, owing to them being largely misunderstood and having developed a reputation among local people in Sulawesi that leads them to being persecuted and targeted by farmers.

"Not only that, but their habitat is ever shrinking and they are hunted for their meat. That’s why we’re working with the Indonesian government and the wider conservation community to protect precious habitats in South East Asia, so that species like the anoa can go on to thrive."

The zoo has joined with more than 50 international organisations as part of a global plan to protect the anoa, known as Action Indonesia.

Working alongside fellow conservationists, scientists, academics and the government of Indonesia, zoo experts are leading efforts to reverse the decline of the species, as well as three of Indonesia’s other most threatened animals – the banteng, babirusa and Sumatran tiger – through a combination of actions on the ground, including education programmes, habitat preservation and anti-poaching initiatives.

The new calf can be seen in the zoo’s 'Islands zone', showcasing threatened species from South East Asia.

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