Three rare snow leopard cubs have won over visitors’ hearts during their first experience in the outdoor enclosure at Wilhelma Zoo in Germany.

Female snow leopard cubs Dawa, Karma and Nyima had their first-ever encounter with enthusiastic fans after they were born at Wilhelma Zoo in the German city of Stuttgart on 11th April.

The triplets, each weighing around half a kilo, were allowed to go outside for the first time after they received their vaccinations.

The little fluff balls were staying in the inner part of their enclosure alongside their mother Kailash until mid-June, while their father Ladakh carefully observed them from the neighbouring enclosure.

However, since they are still developing their strength and gaining body control, the zoo will move them to the upper part of the facility where guests can watch them until they are old enough to be reunited with both parents.

Wilhelma Zoo director Dr Thomas Kolpin said: “It is wonderful to experience how the three cheerful cubs grow up carefree. Because of their sad history, our little heroes are already huge stars when it comes to species protection. It is a prime example of how species protection in nature and in zoos is intertwined.”

The director added that the three cubs are of special importance to European conservation programmes as they are granddaughters of Djamilja – a snow leopard born in the high mountains of Tajikistan in Central Asia who was captured by poachers when she was only five months old.

Djamilja lost a third of her right hind foot as a result of the trap poachers used to catch her and was sold at a black market in the city of Bishkek in Kyrgyzstan.

She was later saved by animal welfare activists and brought to Zurich Zoo in Switzerland where she died at the age of 19, but had several offspring, including the triplets’ father Kailash.

Kolpin said: “It is incredibly motivating to see that not only can individual animals be saved from death by working together, but this has also contributed to further generations of this unique big cat species.”

The snow leopard (Panthera uncia) is listed as ‘Vulnerable’ on the IUCN Red List because the global population is estimated to number fewer than 4,000 individuals in the wild.

Due to poaching and habitat destruction, this number is expected to decline about 10 percent by 2040.