Endangered twin lemur births 'first' for Bridlington Animal Park

The twins' arrival came as a surprise to staff at Bridlington Animal Park

Twin ring-tailed lemurs, which are critically endangered, have been born at a Bridlington park.

Owners of Bridlington Animal Park said Tuesday's births were the first of its kind at the Carnaby Covert Lane site.

Curator and director Paul Woodward said it was a "very special" moment.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has classified the animals as "critically endangered".

Mr Woodward said the twins' arrival had come as a surprise as they were not expecting more than one baby.

"We were made up and gobsmacked all in one really.

"We were expecting one baby, not two and not a month early. So it's a big deal for us.

"It's fantastic and we've got double the joy."

The twins were born to 12-year-old Karan, who is the oldest of eight lemurs at the park

He said the infant pair would be named as soon as their genders had been identified.

The creatures were born to 12-year-old Karan, who is the oldest of eight lemurs at the park. She has been at the site since 2020 having arrived from another zoo, Mr Woodward said.

"The mother is loving showing the babies off to the public. She's been brilliant," he added.

According to the IUCN, 98% of lemur species are threatened with extinction, and 31% of species are critically endangered because their habitat has been converted for farming in their native Madagascar.

A small animal, they will only be between 30cm and 40cm (11.8in to 15.7in) tall when fully grown.