In pictures: Dwarf mongoose couple at Sussex zoo welcomes three new pups

Drusillas Park, near Alfriston in East Sussex, has welcomed the triplets who join older sibling Maverick and duo Halo and Phoenix, who the mongoose parents welcomed in March.

A park spokesperson said: “Going from one to six children in less than a year might sound challenging, but terrific twosome Goose (mum) and Stasher (dad) just keep going from strength to strength. The happy couple only met last year when Goose came to Drusillas from Wild Discovery Zoo in Preston as an exchange for Drusillas’ male dwarf mongoose, Houdini, in the hopes both zoos could have a successful breeding pair.

"Needless to say, Goose and Stasher immediately fell head over heels and welcomed their first bundle of joy in August last year.”

Over the course of three litters the pair has now added six new arrivals to their family.

Zoo business manager Sue Woodgate said: “This mongoose family is always incredibly active and both the zookeepers and our visitors love watching them play and interact with one another. Now their family has grown there’s sure to be even more high jinks and games.”

She added: “It’s always very special welcoming new arrivals at the zoo and this year we’ve seen a real baby boom. Three tiny squirrel monkeys - Mateo, Lucia, and Rafael – were born in June. The zoo’s most experienced mama, meerkat Tamu, welcomed Reggie on May 24, and we’ve had some silvery marmosets too, who the public chose to name Luna and Alba on the park’s social media. Visitors have probably also noticed baby colobus monkey Pedro (named after one of the zoo’s longstanding keepers) who was born on April 8 and likes to get up to all sorts of mischief.”

The dwarf mongoose is the smallest mongoose in the world, with adults measuring between 18-26cm and even when fully grown only weighing between 200-300 grams, according to the zoo.

The spokesperson added: “They have an incredibly short gestation period of just 54 days – so Goose and Stasher have been able to welcome quite a few of the teeniest, tiniest, cutest babies in less than a year.”

The zoo is looking for gender neutral Top Gun themed names to go with Goose, Maverick, Halo and Phoenix. You can submit your name suggestions via the park’s social media accounts – @drusillaspark.