THE latest proud parents at Marwell Zoo near Winchester are firm believers that good things come in small packages.

One of the park's newest arrivals is San Miguel, a baby pudu, the smallest breed of deer in the world.

The tiny two-week-old tot will never grow higher than a mere 12 inches, just like her mum and dad Serena and San Carlos.

The animals originate from the South American country of Chile where they are endangered because land clearance for agriculture, logging and hunting is shrinking their habitat.

Baby pudu are born after a gestation of seven months and usually weigh about 29 ounces at birth.

At first the babies have white spots but these disappear after about five months. With their short legs and small low-slung body they can move easily through vegetation to escape predators but when alarmed make a barking noise.

Marwell has bred 23 fawns since 1984 and many have gone to other zoos including Paignton, Bristol and Edinburgh.