Adorable pictures have been released of two newborn snow leopards.

The pair, born at The Big Cat Sanctuary in Smarden, includes the first girl born to the parents who now have five offspring and are already grandparents.

The new male cub, weighing 550g, is at called Spot and the female, at 660g, nicknamed Stripe as she has a long stripe running down her back.

They were born on July 1 and the mother Laila was found to be pregnant through an ultrasound examination by a veterinary surgeon.

Their dad is called Yarko.

Sanctuary curator Briony Smith said: “They have been the perfect parents for two litters so far, and we are so grateful they could make a third, very valuable contribution to the conservation of their species by being asked to breed again.

“We were even more thrilled to have had our first little snow leopard girl born at the sanctuary. Both cubs are doing incredibly well and we are excited to see them grow.”

Trustee Lynn Whitnall said: “This is the third time Laila and Yarko have been successful with breeding cubs as part of the European Breeding Programme and we are proud that their previous cubs have moved on to other zoos and wildlife parks all around the country.

“With less than 6,000 snow leopards remaining in the wild, these newest arrivals will play a vital role in ensuring that we have them around for future generations to see and appreciate.”

The new cubs will stay inside their den with Laila for around two months and take their first steps outside after being fully vaccinated.

Laila and Yarko, first became parents in 2019 when two males, Koshi and Khumbu, were born. They are both part of the snow leopard breeding programme.

Koshi moved to Highland Wildlife Park in Scotland and now has three cubs of his own.

Last year, Khumbu moved to Twycross Zoo in the Midlands and hopes to do the same.

In 2021, Laila gave birth to Shen, a male who has moved to Banham Zoo in East Anglia, also as part of the breeding project.

The Big Cat Sanctuary is part of the European Endangered Species Breeding Programme to help create a safety net for endangered species in the wild.

Snow leopards are an endangered species and are classed as vulnerable on the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Red List.

There are around 4,000 to 6,000 remaining in the wild in central and south Asian mountains. Snow leopards face significant threats in their natural habitat as they are poached for their fur and the illegal medicine trade.

The breeding programme will help boost the captive population of snow leopards which gives hope to this vulnerable species if they ever go extinct or critically endangered in the wild.

The Big Cat Sanctuary is dedicated to the conservation of wild cats, with the objectives of welfare, breeding, education and conservation. It also holds open days for members of the public.