Two rare Nepalese red panda cubs have been born at Auckland Zoo, their entrance hailed as a valuable addition to the endangered animal's international breeding programme.
Zoo carnivore team leader Lauren Booth said the twin pandas were born last Thursday and everything was going well.
"By watching the nest box cameras we've set up, we can see they have both been suckling. We couldn't ask for a better mum in Bo," she said.
But it was going to be around 12 weeks before visitors to the zoo would be able to get a peek at the latest additions.
Ms Booth said red pandas developed slowly and were dependent on the mother for at least three months before they would venture out of their nest box and investigate the enclosure.
