Two endangered red panda cubs born at Curraghs Wildlife Park

The cubs are now three weeks old but will remain out of sight for some time

The births of two endangered red panda cubs at a zoo on the Isle of Man were a "big surprise", keepers have said.

The unexpected arrivals were born at Curraghs Wildlife Park in Ballaugh on 3 July, despite their mother being given a hormone contraceptive implant.

The park is already home to three pandas and the cubs' parents were not earmarked to breed this year.

Two cubs were born at the park in August 2020, although one had to be put to sleep after falling ill.

The surviving sibling is due to be rehomed at a conservation centre in Birmingham later this year.

The park is already home to three red pandas

Red pandas are classed as endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and the species' numbers have declined by 40% in the wild over the past half century.

A park spokeswoman said because of last year's births the park's breeding pair of pandas, Kush and Sara, had been given a "non-breed recommendation for this year".

She said: "Although endangered, there is only a certain amount of space for zoo animals and it's about the genetics rather than number of animals.

"As Kush and Sara had bred last year it was not their turn this year... but it seems they had other plans.

"Thankfully the studbook keeper has reassured us he will find places for the cubs when they are older, and contraception can fail from time to time."

It is not know at this stage whether the new arrivals are male or female.