Tapnell Farm Park welcomes first baby wallaby in four years

A wallaby has been born at a petting zoo for the first time in four years.

Tapnell Farm Park on the Isle of Wight has announced the arrival of the joey, which is approximately four months old.

Its mother, Hermione, is one of the park's resident Bennett's wallabies. Her father was re-homed to the park when Seaview Wildlife Park closed.

The gender of the joey is unknown, as it will continue to live in its mother's pouch for a further five months.

Lucy Cousins, head keeper at the farm, said the park would be announcing a competition to name the joey in the summer.

She said: "The keepers and I are super excited. This has brought us a lot of joy after a trying year or two, it's lovely to have something more positive to focus on.

"Being animal keepers, we become very attached to our animals as if they are family. We cannot wait to find out the gender and give little joey a special name this summer."

She explained that during the first four months a joey lives in its mother's pouch and does not fully leave until between nine and 10 months.