First-ever twin baby elephant shrews born at zoo

By Ed Chatterton

Two adorable baby elephant shrews have been born at a zoo - just months after it became the first to ever breed the African species in the UK.

Hertfordshire Zoo is celebrating the second consecutive breeding success for its rare black and rufous sengi after two more healthy pups arrived into the world on April 22.

The births are being heralded as an "unprecedented milestone" for European conservation efforts aimed at protecting the unusual miniature mammals, which are native to the forests and shrublands of south-eastern Kenya.

The newest twin pups were born to parents Nuru and Mala and have only emerged from their deep nest lining this week.

Photographs show the cute tiny additions exploring their new surroundings alongside their slightly older siblings and under the watchful eyes of their keepers.

Weighing a tiny 30g at birth - which is the same as a standard first class letter - the pups spent their initial weeks completely concealed within the family nest box.

The keeper team, who monitor the family using non-invasive overnight infrared cameras, confirmed the births after spotting subtle changes in Mala’s behaviour within the nest.

The newborns are now said to be thriving and have begun sampling solid foods alongside their milk diet.

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Tyler Whitnall, managing director at Hertfordshire Zoo, said: “To have one historic birth was a privilege, but to welcome a second litter so quickly is beyond anything we could have hoped for.

"It is a massive boost for the captive population of this species within the UK and Europe.

"This consecutive success proves that the environment, diet, and specialized care provided by our mammal team mimics their natural habitat perfectly.

"Nuru and Mala are proving to be exceptional parents, and the family dynamic in the habitat is wonderful to watch.”

Although known as elephant shrews due to their flexible, highly mobile snout, black and rufous sengi are not actually shrews.

Biological studies have revealed they belong to the Afrotheria superorder, making them more closely related to elephants, manatees, and aardvarks than to rodents or insectivores.

With fewer than ten of these animals currently residing in the UK, Hertfordshire Zoo is now home to the majority of the nation's population.

A zoo spokesperson added: "Nuru and Mala have rapidly established themselves as one of the most successful breeding pairs in the international zoological network.

"The rapid succession of these two litters is incredibly rare for the species in a captive environment, providing researchers with an invaluable look into their reproductive biology."