Rare endangered twin Binturongs born at Cotswold Wildlife Park greet public for the first time

Twin binturongs born at a Oxfordshire wildlife park have ventured outside for the first time since their birth.

The rare and endangered mammals, which have been named Fig and Rosie, are the first twins to be born at Cotswold Wildlife Park.

Their parents Dobby and Himala were first introduced to each other back in 2018 and immediately formed a strong bond. Fig and Rosie are their third and fourth cubs since arriving at the park.

Recently the cubs have started to venture into the exhibit’s outdoor area where visitors can catch a glimpse of their 'acrobatic prowess'.

Cubs at the park are traditionally named after fruits found in their native homeland ofsouth-east Asia.

Keeping up with the tradition of the cubs has been named Fig, after her favourite food. However the other cub has been named Rosie after mammal keeper James' late grandmother.

James said: "My grandmother Rosie was always full of encouragement and endless enthusiasm for my love of animals, in particular Lions, ever since I was young. As a child, my grandparents would take me to lots of different zoos and time at home would be spent watching animal programmes on TV."

He added: "When I started to work as a zookeeper, she would travel all over the country to visit me at work to see the animals in my care, including here at Cotswold Wildlife Park where she came to visit in 2019 and we had a picture taken.

"She loved her day at the Park. She was, as she would say, my “biggest fan”, so it felt right when thinking of a name for the Binturong kits that one of them should be called Rosie in her honour”.

James says that Fig and Rosie are inseparable and are always busy 'getting up to all kinds of mischief'.