Rare mouse deer born in UK zoo weighing less than bag of sugar

Tiny mammals are ‘small in size, very secretive, and nocturnal’, keepers say

A rare and tiny deer has been born at a zoo in the UK.

The Javan chevrotain mouse deer weighed just 370g when it was born at Marwell Zoo near Winchester, Hampshire, this week.

Keepers say the calf, born to parents Gus and Gwen in the zoo’s Energy For Life: Tropical House, is doing well.

Mouse deer are one of the smallest hoofed animals in the world.

Tim Rowlands, Marwell Zoo's hoofstock team leader, said: "We separated the male and female two weeks before she gave birth so she would not be disturbed, even by him, mimicking the natural behaviour of the female taking herself away to find a quiet and secure spot to give birth in the wild.

"All deer species will hide their young until they are older so they will only really come out to feed, then hide again.

"There are very few zoos who care for any of the mouse deer species as they are so small in size, very secretive, and nocturnal, so any youngster born is great news for the conservation breeding programme.

"It's vitally important that we work to ensure these wonderful animals do not disappear for good."

The species is found on Java in Indonesia and is hunted and traded for wild meat and as pets.

When born, the young are the size of a rat but can jump and run around not long after birth. They suckle only occasionally, and only at night.

Marwell has lost more than £4m in revenue during the coronavirus pandemic.

Last December another pair of tiny arrivals was seen at Chester Zoo, when twin eastern pygmy marmosets were born.

The monkeys were no larger than ping-pong balls when they were born and belong to one of the world’s smallest primate species.

When fully grown the animals weigh only about 130g.

Additional reporting by Press Association