HANWELL Zoo's animal family just got bigger, as its pair of grey slender loris have given birth to the first ever loris born at the zoo.

The zoo's newest resident was born on March 26, with its sex yet to be determined, just like its name.

The new family are doing well and are being well looked after by the zookeeping team, who are keeping them out of the public eye for now.

Centre Manager, Jim Gregory, said: "We are thrilled to bits.

"The little loris is adorable and doing well with its mum and dad.

"It's early days so we will be keeping them in a private enclosure for a little bit longer, while they get used to each other and the baby grows a bit more.

"It's our first baby loris, which is a huge milestone for the zoo.

"The grey slender loris are part of a European endangered species breeding programme (EEP) which plays a key role in the conservation of endangered species.

"It feels great to know we were able to play a small part in that.

"Supporting BIAZA (British and Irish association of zoos and aquariums) zoos, like Hanwell Zoo, helps ensure species like these aren't lost forever.

"We would like to thank everyone who has already visited us since we reopened two weeks ago and look forward to welcoming lots more visitors soon."