Monkey family jets off to Germany

The moustachioed monkeys are named after Emperor Wilhelm II

A family of rare moustachioed monkeys from a Devon zoo is on its way to a new home in Germany.

The Emperor Tamarins left Heathrow on Thursday morning and will soon take up residence at Hoyswerda Zoo.

The group from Exmoor Zoo are going to Germany as part of a European breeding programme as the zoo's two families have both bred this year

The zoo's Steve Eddy said: "It is hoped this move will help the population in European zoos."

"Emperor Tamarins are not prolific breeders in captivity."

Mr Eddy said it was fitting that the family - consisting of mother, father and son - was going to Germany as they got their name from a Swiss zoologist who joked their moustaches resembled that of Germany's Emperor Wilhelm II.

"Taxidermists used to tweak their moustaches so they looked like the German emperor," said Mr Eddy.

"What started as a joke stuck."