Five bush dog pups have been born at Chester Zoo – the only litter to arrive in the UK this year.

Described by one of their keepers as "little furry potatoes", the youngsters are now emerging from their den and starting to explore their surroundings.

The pups were born around a month ago to four-year-old Molly after a 65-day pregnancy.

"At this stage, they're just little furry potatoes," said Richard Tyson, carnivore keeper at Chester Zoo. "They toddle around a bit, but mostly they huddle together in a pile."

The pups weighed between 120g and 150g at birth - roughly the weight of a can of sardines.

Keepers initially left Molly and her new family undisturbed in one of three dens, meaning they did not know exactly how many pups had been born.

One of the first clues that the birth had been a success was the sound of the youngsters. Bush dog pups make high-pitched chirping noises that sound surprisingly like birds.

The pups are now becoming more confident, with their older brothers and sisters taking a keen interest in their new siblings.

"The older brothers and sisters like to move the little pups around, but they have quite short legs, so they can't lift them fully off the ground," Richard said.

"They get bumped around a bit and then you hear a lot of squeaking.

"That's when Molly comes over and tells them off. Dad Charlie has been protective too. It's all normal - the family is getting along well and the pups look healthy."

Bush dogs are found across parts of Latin America, where they live in family groups in a variety of habitats. Despite their wide range, they are often locally rare and face threats including habitat loss, hunting and disease.

Habitat loss and degradation is a particular concern, with soy production putting pressure on areas where bush dogs and other wildlife live.

The new arrivals are part of a European conservation breeding programme, which aims to maintain a genetically healthy population of bush dogs and help safeguard the species' future.

Chester Zoo's conservation teams are working with partners in Latin America to protect wildlife and habitats, including supporting research into the impact of soy farming on wildlife in Brazil.

Paul Bamford, regional field programme senior manager for Chester Zoo's Latin America conservation work, said: "We hope the newborn pups at the zoo will help people discover a species they may never have heard of and understand why protecting wildlife and habitats in Latin America is important."

Chester Zoo's conservation teams have also recorded wild-born bush dogs using camera traps while monitoring wildlife in Brazil.

The five pups are currently the youngest bush dogs living in the UK. Twenty-five bush dog pups have been born in Europe so far this year, with a fifth of them born at Chester Zoo.