A TRIO of red river hogs have been born at Chester Zoo.

The three little piggies, who are yet to be sexed and named, arrived to nine-year-old mum Mali and dad Con-Fetti following a four month pregnancy.

Red river hogs are instantly recognisable for their bright red fur, which helps them blend into their Sub-Saharan African habitat.

This colouring has given them the reputation as being the world’s most colourful member of the pig family.

They are native to the swamps and forests of West and Central Africa but hunting for their meat has led to a decline in numbers.

Team manager at the zoo Sarah Roffe said: “It’s early days, but the piglets are doing great so far.

“They’re so small at the moment and their coats are covered in spots and stripes, which will slowly start to fade after about six months when they’ll take on their more iconic rusty colouring.

“The trio are sticking very close to mum Mali, but it’s great to see them spending time with dad Con-Fetti.

“In fact, they can often be seen enjoying a nap whilst sat on top of him.

“This is the pairings first set of triplets, so they’ll soon be a real handful for mum and dad as they become more adventurous and playful.

“It’s amazing to see the family of seven together.”

Conservationists at the zoo are keen to develop greater understanding of how to care for the species in conservation breeding programmes should the worst happen to the species, extinction in the wild.