Endangered young cub peeps out from its mother’s fury pouch at a German zoo.
The five-month-old youngster is a tree-dwelling marsupial known as the bear cuscus, native to Indonesia and to a number of islands north of Australia.
Although it is not a true bear, its name is understood to have come from its thick bear-like fur.
Keepers at Berlin Zoo released the footage showing the youngster snuggling up close to its mother in their enclosure.
In another clip, the cub looks up adoringly at its mum while she licks it with her long tongue.
Newsflash obtained a statement from the zoo dated 12th January saying the bear cubs had “hypnotising eyes”.
Zoo spokesperson Svenja Eisenbart said in the statement: “Two years after moving from a Polish zoo, the bear cuscus has offspring again at the Berlin Zoo.
“The offspring is only the second young animal of this species to be born in Germany.
“The little bear cuscus is developing splendidly and, with a bit of luck, can also be seen by visitors in the rainforest house.
“Still shy and reserved, a pair of eyes peek out from the mother’s pouch.
“Bear cuscus female Duza (nine years old) is in constant physical contact with her cub, which is estimated to be around five months old.”
The statement added: “Bear cuscus are a rarity in zoological gardens, and the zoo is now hoping to learn more about how these rare animals raise their young.”
Zoo director Dr Andreas Knieriem said: “Not much is actually known about the bear cuscus.
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“We will therefore closely observe how the animals behave and document how the young animal develops and how the mother looks after the offspring.
“And of course we keep our fingers crossed that the offspring survive the first critical weeks well.”
He added: “But we keep our distance and leave the care of the offspring entirely to the mother.
“We cannot currently say what gender the young animal is or exactly how heavy or big it is.”
Vet Anja Hantschmann has been the coordinator for the species within the European Conservation Breeding Programme since 2023.
She said: “In Indonesia, the bear cuscus is only native to the island of Sulawesi and the offshore islands.
“There it is threatened by the destruction of the forests, but also by illegal hunting of the animals.
“Even though Indonesian law protects them, the number of these animals in their natural habitat is declining.
“The birth of this young animal is therefore an important step in ensuring the continued existence of this rare species.”
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Keepers say the youngster will leave its mum’s pouch for good in around three months.
They explained: “The bear cuscus feeds primarily on young leaves and is known for its leisurely movement, which is due to its low-energy diet – similar to other leaf-eating animals such as sloths or koalas.
“The rare marsupial mammal spends a large part of the day resting or sleeping; the rest of the time it grooms or looks for food.”
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Story By: Joseph Golder, Sub-Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Newsflash
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