Rare hamster-sized deer born at Spanish zoo (cute pictures)
Have you ever seen a deer the size of a hamster? It's a first for us, too. This super-cute baby Java mouse deer has just been born at a zoo in Spain - and weighs just 100 grams.
The baby is the eighth of its kind to be born at Bioparc Fuengirola, which is running a breeding programme to boost their numbers.
Bioparc Fuengirola says there are currently only 43 Java mouse deer in Europe, and warns the future of the species is threatened by mass deforestation in South East Asia.
When the baby is fully grown, it will still be no bigger than a rabbit, and weigh up to 1kg.
According to the Mirror, the baby's mother was born at the zoo back in 2007, while its father came from a zoo in Lille, France.
The BBC reports that the baby and its family live together at the zoo's Hidden Forest, which recreates the ruins of a lost temple in the Asian jungle.
The Java mouse deer is usually found in forests in Java and possibly Bali.They are primarily herbivores, although in captivity they have been seen to eat insects as well as foliage.
Meanwhile, back in November 2013, a tiny Kirk's dik-dik antelope that was hand-reared by keepers after being rejected by her mum stepped in to help her much smaller sibling at Chester Zoo.
Eight-month-old little Aluna has been playing the big sister to recent arrival Neo, giving him lots of the special care she herself received after she was born.
The mini dik-diks are one of the smallest species of antelope in the world.
Want to see more cute baby animal pics? Here you go:
Related articles
Adorable baby meerkats born at zoo in Tasmania
Baby orangutan delighting visitors at Paignton Zoo
