Hello Squirt! Telford zoo staff welcome tortoise smaller than a 50p piece

Squirt, the Hermann's tortoise, was born at Telford Exotic Zoo around two weeks ago.

Threatened in the wild, staff have been thrilled by the new arrival.

Owner, Scott Adams explained: "We've never had a tortoise born at the zoo before, it's really exciting for us to be successfully breeding a new species.

"We try our best to breed conservation-sensitive animals to keep fresh bloodlines in captivity.

"But it's not just about breeding the animals, it brings interest to the species and helps with the education about their decline.

"It's very good to inspire people and get people interested in what's going in the wild. Squirt's an ambassador of that."

At the moment, the tiny tortoise is smaller than a 50-pence piece and is being kept warm and safe inside.

Scott added: "Because she's only just hatched, we have to look after her differently.

"Our older tortoises can handle the elements a lot better, but we need to keep her in a more controlled environment for the ideal conditions.

"But she's not hidden away, she's around for people to see and they've been loving seeing her."