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Jersey Zoo has said a "heartfelt goodbye" to its popular Sulawesi macaques after half-a-century.
Sulawesi crested black macaques Bella, Kato, Koko, and Nanas are now at Whipsnade Zoo in Bedfordshire.
“Jersey Zoo’s first crested black macaque arrived in 1963 and the first breeding success was in 1971. Since then, around 70 have been born in contribution to the breeding programme that was launched to help save the species," the Jersey Zoo team said.
“Bella, Kato, Koko, and Nanas are moving to ZSL Whipsnade Zoo to continue the breeding programme. They’ll be able to socialise in a larger group and have a new home to explore.
“The macaques will be missed lots by our staff and visitors. We’ll be announcing which species will move into the macaque’s home in the new year.”
The Zoo has run the breeding programme for more than 50 years, with around 70 of the monkeys born as part of the scheme.
The macaques remain critically endangered, and are served up as a delicacy and eaten on their native Indonesian Island of Sulawesi.
Illegal tree clearing - forcing them into increasingly smaller areas - has also been reported as a threat to the species.
The cheeky group have brought much amusement to visitors to the Zoo over the years, and have been known to get up to all sorts of antics. One of the Zoo's female macaques has been known to escape her enclosure to be with "a certain male".
Mammal Keeper Lisa O’Hara, who travelled with the macaques from Jersey to Whipsnade, said: “It’s always sad when an animal you’ve worked with for a long time leaves the zoo, but knowing they are joining four new females is very exciting.
"Bella, Kato, Koko and Nanas will love being part of a bigger troop once again, and having a woodland to explore will be amazing! It was hard to say goodbye, but we are looking forward to seeing how the troop grows – I’ll definitely be paying them a few visits to see how they’re settling in!
"It’s great to know that they will continue to make valuable contributions to the international breeding programme for this Critically Endangered species.”
The macaques are not the only species that Jersey Zoo has said goodbye to this year – its Andean bears also recently left, departing for Knowsley Safari in the UK where they were said to benefit from larger enclosures.
Pictured: Chui and Bahia have been residents at Jersey Zoo for ten years.
The bears had been a fixture of the Zoo for around 50 years. Jersey Zoo also announced that it would be saying goodbye to its CEO.
The Zoo has, however, recently welcomed sloths, capybaras, Guernsey goats and an aardvark.
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