Bristol Zoo celebrates birth of twin golden lion tamarins

The baby golden lion tamarins weigh 60g each and are just 10cm (4in) long

Zookeepers have welcomed the arrival of twin golden lion tamarins.

The infants, born at Bristol Zoo Gardens last weekend, are living with their mum Missy, dad Dourado and older siblings Manchego, Rae and Leicester.

Curator of mammals, Lynsey Bugg, said both babies were "thriving", adding they looked "strong and alert".

The infants are especially significant as they are part of a global breeding programme to safeguard the future of the monkeys.

Ms Bugg said: "Both Missy and Dourado have been supporting each other and as the twins get a little older, we'll see the older siblings help out.

"Golden lion tamarins form tight social family groups, which help them with the amount of energy it takes to raise their infants.

"This has allowed the species to make having multiple births the norm, with over three-quarters of wild-born golden tamarins being twins."

The infants are carried around on the adult's back for the first few months of their life

It will be some time before keepers at the zoo are able to identify the sex of the golden lion tamarins, which currently weigh about 60g each and are just 10cm (4in) long.

Brazil's Atlantic coastal forests, where they are found in the wild, are disappearing due to logging, agriculture and industry which is putting their future at risk.

However, a zoo spokesperson said thanks to zoos, golden lion tamarins had become "one of the world's major conservation success stories".

They were down-listed in 2003 from Critically Endangered to Endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List.

Bristol Zoo will close to the public on 3 September, before the new Bristol Zoo opens at Wild Place Project in 2024.