Picture of the day: Heartbreakingly cute white lion cub meets the world

Filed under: Travel News

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view. Picture of the day: White lion cub meets the world FRED TANNEAU/AFP/Getty Images
This little fellow caught his first glimpse of the wide world this week when he and his brother and sister were introduced to the public for the first time at a zoo in France.

These beautiful little bundles of fluff are rare white lions born in Pont-Scorff zoo in the west of France on 23 February.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
FRED TANNEAU/AFP/Getty Images

They tumbled out to meet visitors with their mother Swelika on Wednesday 17 April and delighted the crowds as they played in the grass and explored their surroundings.

This is Swelika's second litter of cubs after she gave birth to four young in 2011.

Their white coats and blue eyes are the result of a recessive gene found in their parents.

White lions originate from the Timbavati region bordering South Africa's Kruger National Park.

They are extremely rare and poaching and hunting has severely decreased their numbers. The Global White Lion Protection Trust estimates that they are on the brink of extinction in the wild.

Watch this cute video of the cubs emerging into their enclosure for the first time. Have they stolen your heart? Let us know below.

Bébés lion blancs 2013 au Zoo de Pont-Scorff by zoodepontscorff

Related articles

Russian children find lion cub escaped from zoo and take it to school

Video: Lion photo bombs little girl at zoo, gives her a good fright

White tiger gives birth to adorable rare cubs at Ukraine zoo

Baby zoo animals around the world

Javan leopard cubs
 These babies, named Sri Kandi (left) and Arjuna (right) were born at Tierpark, Berlin, Germany. They made their debut on 5 March 2012.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Asian Orang utan
 Clinging to his mum, baby Changi meets his public  for the first time at Krefeld Zoo, Germany.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
White rhino
 This little rhino, named Male, was born in January. He's pictured here with his mother, Mana, at Magdeburg Zoo, Germany.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Dingo puppies
 The zoo at Tierpark in Berlin celebrated the birth of a litter of four dingo babies in January.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Shy baby giraffe
 Only a few days old, this baby giraffe, named Kimarle, peaks out from her enclosure at the ZOOM Zoo in Gelsenkirchen, western Germany. The 170cm tall giraffe was born on March 9.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Squirrel monkey and mum
 A one-month-old baby squirrel monkey clings to its mother's back at Qingdao Forest Wildlife Park, China.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Gorilla and mum
 A two-week old baby gorilla is cuddled by her mum, Mumba, a Western Lowland Gorilla, at Port Lympne Wild Animal Park near Ashford, Kent.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Tiny hedgehog
 Born at Cincinnati Zoo,  US, this one-month old hedgehog is being hand reared by keepers until it is old enough to be included in the zoo's outreach programme.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Happy elephant
 Ludwig the baby elephant is clearly happy to be out and about at the Tierpark Hellabrunn Zoo, Munich.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Cuddling meerkats
 These cuties were born in February at Bristol Zoo Gardens.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Polar bear cub
 This cub was born prematurely at Toronto Zoo. His mum rejected him soon after he was born, so he was cared for by staff at the zoo. Here he is making his debut in February.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Baby gorilla, Dublin Zoo
 This six-month old baby Western Lowland Gorilla is seen here enjoying the spring sunshine with her mother at Dublin Zoo.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.