Baby meerkats take their first steps outside at Chester Zoo

Five baby meerkats have taken their first steps into the outside world.

All of the pups are full of rough and tumble already with mum and dad having to keep them all in check.

The tiny newcomers made their first public appearance after being hidden away in burrows by their parents since being born last month at Chester Zoo.

Meerkats have four toes on each foot and very long, non-retractable claws to help them dig. Most meerkats live underground in large groups of around 30 individuals, called a gang or a mob.

At the moment, the babies have not been named because keepers don’t know if they’re male or female. These newborns come hot on the heels of other new arrivals at Chester Zoo in recent weeks.

Difficult words: rough and tumble (full of energy), tiny (small), burrow (passage in the ground made by an animal), non-retractable (they cannot hide their claws), claw (animal’s big nail) hot on the heels (right after).