Springtime has heralded the arrival of some new furry and feathery friends at Hamerton Zoo Park near Sawtry.

Hunts Post photographer Helen Drake went to meet the newborns, including Gilbert the hooded vulture chick, pictured above, and Evie the giant donkey foal, pictured left with carnivor keeper Rosa King, alongwith baby meerkats, above right, gibbons and ring-tailed lemurs.

Gilbert had to be hand-reared after the egg he hatched from was abandoned by his parents following a storm. Staff hope that soon he will be able to join the fully-grown vultures.

Other animals visitors at the zoo include big cats, small cats, wolves, jackals, foxes, monkeys, tamarins and marmosets, wallabies, anteaters, birds, snakes, lizards, tortoises – and reindeer.

Zoo secretary Sharon Wright said: “It is lovely, it is just so nice to see them walk round and to see them with their babies– it breathes new life into the zoo.

“My favourite has got to be Gilbert, he’s so comical. Because he is hand-reared he walks like a chicken – he’s ­absolutely gorgeous.”

INFORMATION: For more, visit www.hamertonzoopark.com.