Whipsnade Zoo in Bedfordshire has announced the birth of two red panda cubs, a species classed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, making the arrival a welcome boost for conservation efforts. The cubs, born to five-year-old mother Ruby and six-year-old father Nilo, are still too young to have their eyes open or their characteristic fiery-red fur, making them tricky to identify at first glance.

The twins were born overnight on 16 July and weighed around 90g at birth, roughly the same as a banana, though they are steadily growing bigger and stronger. They remain inside the nestbox where they were born and are not expected to venture outside until around three months old. Zoo staff say their sexes will only be confirmed at a veterinary health check around ten weeks of age, at which point they will also begin choosing names for the pair.