Keepers have captured the birth of three rare Sumatran tigers in their mother’s den at a Devon zoo.
Footage has emerged of the moment Shakira gave birth to three cubs at Paignton Zoo in the early hours on Tuesday, May 31.
CCTV shows the tigress give birth and lick her cubs who then make wobbly attempts to explore their surroundings.
The cubs are the first tigers to be born at the zoo since 2009 and will spend the next two months hidden from view with their mother.
Keepers said the trio could be on show to visitors during the summer holidays.
Neil Bemment, curator of mammals at the zoo, said: "While visitors cannot see the cubs yet, we wanted to share our good news.
"Shakira is mothering well. We hope the youngsters will be out and about by the summer holidays."
Cubs typically live on their mother’s milk for six to eight weeks before they move on to meat.
They remain dependent on their mother for about 18 months at which point they can hunt on their own.
A spokesman for the zoo added: "Staff will keep their distance over the next few weeks to give Shakira and her cubs as much peace and quiet as possible.
"It is important not to get human scent on the cubs if they are vet checked.
"They will have vaccinations at 10 to 12 weeks, 16 weeks, six months and one year and be micro chipped at 10 to 12 weeks."
Additional reporting by Press Association
