PREVIEW

A proud first-time mum has surprised zookeepers by giving birth to the biggest litter of dingo pups ever recorded at an Australian wildlife park.

The Australian Reptile Park's dingo Chilli welcomed six healthy puppies this week after earlier scans suggested she was carrying only four or five.

The arrival of the sixth pup stunned keepers and made the litter the largest ever born at the park.

Park manager Billy Collett said the birth was an exciting milestone for the team.

He said: "This is actually the biggest litter of dingo puppies we've ever had here at the Reptile Park and Chilli did a great job."

Keepers had been closely monitoring Chilli in the days leading up to the birth after spotting signs labour was imminent.

Staff noticed changes in her walk and increasing discomfort, with the dingo showing signs of early labour for around three days before retreating to a specially prepared den to give birth.

All six puppies are healthy and thriving.

One tiny pup has already caught the attention of keepers after emerging as the runt of the litter.

The smaller youngster also has noticeably darker fur than its siblings, making it easy for staff to identify during regular health checks.

Although the pup is doing well, keepers are monitoring it closely to ensure it continues feeding properly and gaining weight.

Chilli has recovered well from the birth and is proving to be an attentive mother.

She has been feeding, cleaning and keeping the pups warm while remaining constantly by their side during their first few days of life.

The park's animal team is providing extra food, care and monitoring while giving Chilli plenty of space to bond with her new arrivals.

The puppies have yet to be named and the park is now asking members of the public to suggest names inspired by the hit children's television series Bluey.

Chilli and her mate Bandit were both named after characters from the popular Australian cartoon and keepers hope to continue the theme with the new litter.

Permanent homes have already been secured for all six pups once they are old enough to leave their parents.

The youngsters are expected to open their eyes within the next fortnight and will grow rapidly over the coming weeks.