Bat-eared fox cubs born at Exmoor Zoo

Four bat-eared fox cubs have been born at a zoo in Devon, one of only two in the UK with a breeding pair.

The birth of the puppies at Exmoor Zoo - three sisters and one brother - has been a closely-guarded secret for the last six weeks, but they are now old enough to have visitors.

The only other breeding pair in the country is at Africa Alive in Norfolk.

Bat-eared foxes are native to the African savannah where they use their large ears to help them hunt termites.

The curator at Exmoor Zoo, Derek Gibson said, "We have been carefully nurturing the puppies with extra feeds and lots of their parent's favourite food (mincemeat) and they are only now beginning to let the puppies have a share as they are starting to be weaned".

Zoo staff are now asking visitors to help name the cubs.

The pup's father is called Vuko and was born in Ogrod Zoo in Wroclaw, Poland.

Their mother is called Opal and was born in Opel-Zoo in Frankfurt,Germany.

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