Watch: Polish Zoo Celebrates Birth Of Rare Marsupial Species

A Polish zoo has celebrated the birth of a bear cuscus, saying it is the only zoological garden in the world that has successfully bred the marsupial species.

Bear cuscus are one of the rarest and least-known species on Earth, according to zookeepers from the Wroclaw Zoo in southwestern Poland.

The birth of the bear cuscus was a "huge success" which confirmed that the species could be saved from extinction, the zoo said in a statement.

The bear cuscus is the fourth baby the zoo has bred, said zookeeper Monika Gorska, adding the garden currently has two adult bear cuscus called Duza and Garett.

The bear cuscus, whose sex is yet to be confirmed, was born on July 20, 2020, and undeveloped had to survive in the mother's pouch.

It began to leave the pouch in December, and on Tuesday (February 16) it was seen holding onto its mother's back at the zoo's indoor enclosure.

Bear cuscus, native to the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, have dark fur, sharp claws and a prehensile tail.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature described the animals as "vulnerable" on their red list of threatened species, with deforestation and hunting the main threats facing them.

Currently, only 14 bear cuscus live in captivity in four zoos across the globe, most of them kept away from the public eye.