THERE'S a double dose of joy in Dudley Zoo's Patagonian mara enclosure following the birth of twins.

The two little ones were born to mum Martha and dad Barry on September 2 and are both thriving.

Keeper Josh Luxton said: “Mum and dad are doing a fantastic job of looking after the youngsters.

"The parents normally mate for life so it’s a real team effort rearing their young.

“The twins have been enjoying playing together and are running circles around their mum and dad. They are slowly starting to try solid foods now and are looking strong and healthy.”

Keepers have not yet sexed and named the youngsters. That will be done when they are microchipped in a few weeks time.

The young rodents are not the only new arrivals at the zoo - four otter pups have recently emerged from their underground den.

It's believed they were born sometime at the end of June to eight-year-old mum Keyah and 13-year-old dad Buddy.

Senior Keeper Sam Grove said: “The pups will be around three months old now and are doing really well. We don’t know the exact date they were born as they stay well hidden for the first few weeks, but it was sometime around the end of June.

“We’d been hearing the familiar high-pitched squeaks of babies for a while so we’re very excited they have finally put in appearance.”