KEEPERS at a wildlife park got a surprise with the birth of five meerkats.
Staff at Tropical Wings, in South Woodham Ferrers, discovered the new babies after the introduction of Kalahari, an adult female, into the existing meerkat population.
The newborns, whose sexes are still unknown, are five weeks old, about three inches, blind and deaf, and have a thin layer of fur.
Gemma Hiskett, their keeper, said: "We are delighted to have five babies and really pleased the adults are proving to have excellent parenting skills.
"The meerkats are wonderful to work with and they are very cheeky, with colourful personalities.
"We're hoping to breed again, too, so watch this space!"
The meerkats live in a sandy and rocky enclosure, which mimics their natural environment of the African Kalahari Desert.
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