Rare Siberian tiger shows off new cubs

A zoo in Central Russia celebrated a purr-fect day earlier this month, with the arrival of two litters of endangered tiger kittens. Barnaul Zoo’s Siberian Tiger pair, Bagheera and Shere Khan, welcomed three males and one female on July 2, and an adorable video showcasing the new arrivals was released by the zoo, because who doesn’t love a good cat video?

The Siberian Tiger, also known as the Amur Tiger, is native to Russia’s Far East and Northeast China, and is considered the world's largest. The International Union for Conservation of Nature estimated in 2022 that between 260 and 480 Siberian Tigers remain in the wild, with several hundred more in captivity. The tigers were on the brink of extinction in the 1940s, but conservation efforts have seen the species begin to thrive again. Russian President Vladimir Putin has continued to be a vocal advo-cat for their protection.