China leopard cubs on display in Croatia zoo

Visitors in Zagreb zoo met two North China leopard cubs who were born in April -- Europe's first litter this year and the first ever in the Croatian capital.

This is a milestone for international wildlife conservation, as the North Chinese leopard is a highly critically endangered subspecies, with only a few hundred individuals estimated to remain in the wild. According to the European Association of Zoos and Aquariums, these two cubs represent Europe's very first litter of North Chinese leopards born this year.

For the first several weeks, the zoo staff kept them entirely secluded in a private indoor den with their mother to ensure a stress-free environment. They have grown bigger, healthier, and increasingly playful, and zookeepers have started opening up the large outdoor enclosure for a few hours at a time so the cubs can explore.