A zoo is celebrating a baby boom with the arrival of nine adorable newborns.

Drusillas Zoo Park near Alfriston has welcomed the healthy births of meerkats, monkeys and even mongooses.

Born within a few days of each other, on June 24, 25 and 30, three tiny squirrel monkeys can be seen at their enclosure, clinging to their mother’s backs and peering out at visitors.

Keepers have chosen to name them Mateo, Lucia, and Rafael in a nod to their native Bolivia and the tiny infants have recently begun to open their eyes and are becoming curious about the world around them.

Head keeper Gemma Romanis said: “It seems like there are babies everywhere at the moment, it’s clear our animals have been keeping busy.”


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The zoo’s most experienced mum, meerkat Tamu, welcomed another little one on May 24 – named Reggie by the zoo’s online followers.

Reggie joins 18 siblings in the zoo’s meerkat mob and has already been gaining fans online and confidently meeting visitors taking part in close encounter experiences.

On April 26, twin silvery marmoset babies arrived, who the public chose to name Luna and Alba. The pair are “thriving” with parents Bonnie and Pearl and are starting to spend most of their days independently climbing and swinging.

At the end of February, the zoo also welcomed two dwarf mongoose pups, Phoenix and Halo, named in keeping with a Top Gun theme.

They are delighting visitors with their "playful and silly" nature.

Their older brother Maverick was the first of the species born at the zoo in October last year. Their mother Goose has been "wonderful" and the zoo is hopeful she will welcome more little ones later this year.

Gemma said: “It’s one of the best parts of our jobs seeing successful births, especially when we have firsts for our team like the arrival of our dwarf mongoose pups.

"Our squirrel monkey mamas were also born here at the zoo themselves so it’s a really special feeling to see babies you have raised having babies themselves, we feel like grandparents.”