Story By: Kathryn Quinn, Sub-Editor:  Joseph Golder, Agency: Central European News

These images show six adorable fluffy meerkat pups discovering their surroundings for the first time with their proud mum at the zoo where they have just been born.

The cute meerkats (Suricata suricatta), each reportedly measuring up to 10 centimetres in length, ventured out of their den for the first time since being born at Zoo Linz in the city of the same name in the northern Austrian state of Upper Austria.

Picture Credit: CEN/ Zoo Linz

According to the zoo, the cute pups have been exploring their enclosure with the rest of the meerkat group, known as a ‘mob’ or ‘gang’ and usually comprised of only family members.

It is the first time that the pups have ventured outside, according to local media.

Images show the fluffy pups standing together in their enclosure after their mum Nadine recently gave birth to them.

According to local media, this is Nadine’s third litter this year as meerkats can give birth up to four times a year, usually with between one and four pups.

The zoo said that that the cute pups are being watched by older meerkat relatives at all times, as is common with mobs.

One of the adult males known as Timon has been helping to look after the younglings along with his brothers and sisters.

Meerkats are considered very social creatures and they live in mobs of up to 30 which regularly groom each other.

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