The baby elephant shrew at Hertfordshire Zoo in the UK. (Hertfordshire Zoo via SWNS)
By Ed Chatterton
Adorable photos show two newborn baby elephant shrews being tended to by their mom after a zoo became the first to ever breed the unique African species in the UK.
Hertfordshire Zoo is celebrating the "monumental milestone" after the two rare black and rufous sengi arrived to parents Nuru and Malaonly on February 23.
On Thursday, the tiny cute pups, which were born weighing 30g - around the size and weight of an AA battery - emerged from their nest for the first time.
The unusual miniature mammals are native to the forests and shrublands of south-eastern Kenya but dad Nuru and mom Malaonly are one of only four in the UK.
Their name comes from their long noses - which is thought to resemble an elephant’s trunk - but they are surprisingly also more closely related to elephants than shrews.
The pair arrived from Leipzig Zoo in Germany and Prague Zoo in Czechia only a few months ago and have now made history by becoming the first to successfully breed in the country.
Tyler Whitnall, managing director at Hertfordshire Zoo, commented: “To have the first-ever black and rufous sengi birth in the UK right here at Hertfordshire Zoo is an incredible feeling.
"We knew when we welcomed the pair last October that we were part of something special, but to see them successfully breed so quickly is a testament to the world-class care provided by our team.
(Hertfordshire Zoo via SWNS)
"These pups are growing incredibly fast and are already showing the same high-energy, inquisitive traits as their parents.”
The youngsters are so diminutive that they initially evaded the eyes of keepers and it was only when reviewing overnight CCTV footage that their births were discovered.
The zoo said the historic births will aid education and provides the continued study of the mouse-sized species.
Their resident black and rufous sengis have already proved viral sensations online with millions watching videos of their twitching “mini-trunk” noses and lightning-fast movements.
A zoo spokesperson added: "We anticipate that these two new arrivals will be a major draw for visitors, offering a rare opportunity to see one of the internet’s most beloved small mammals in person."
The newborns are currently being closely monitored by the zoo’s veterinary team and are said to be thriving under the diligent care of their parents.
While they are spending much of their time in their nesting area, they are expected to be fully active and on view to the public in the coming weeks.
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.