Rare species mouse-deer born in Spain

A newborn deer, one of the smallest hoofed animals in the world, has been born at a zoo in southern Spain.

The java mouse-deer is "not bigger than a hamster", and weighs no more than 1kg when fully grown, reports UK-base newspaper The Telegraph.

It is also said to be an intelligent species, symbolising wisdom in its native Java, according to The Local.

This baby deer is the eighth to be born in Bioparc Fuengirola, which runs a special programme to breed the rare and adorable species.

It lives with its family in the zoo's Hidden Forest, a recreation of the ruins of temples lost in the Asian jungle.

Its mother was born at the same zoo seven years ago, and its father moved from Zoo Lille in France last year.

Bioparc Fuengirola says there are currently 43 Java mouse-deer in Europe, but believes the species' numbers will decline due to massive deforestation in South East Asia and the replacement of jungles with oil palm plantations.