A wildlife park has welcomed two stunning big cats in what keepers have described as a “huge moment”.
Port Lympne Hotel & Reserve, home to a safari experience, has seen the arrival of two Lynx cubs at its attraction near Hythe.
The babies, a pair of Northern lynx cubs, were born to parents Arya and Levis.
A statement released by keepers read: “After Arya gave birth, we spotted our first cub emerge, and just when we thought there was only one a second playful sibling appeared.
“Following their first health check, we’re delighted to share we have one male and one female – a perfect little lynx sibling duo.
”This is a huge moment for our lynx family and for conservation efforts.”
According to National Geographic, Northern lynx, a sub-species of the Eurasian lynx, are most often found in the forests of Russia, central Asia and parts of western Europe.
They are the third largest predator in Europe after wolves and brown bears.
Strict carnivores, they feed on deer, hares, foxes and rabbits using their long legs and paws to catch prey.
They also have a short black tipped tail while during the winter their fur is thick and pale in colour, compared to the summer when it thins and becomes a darker ginger to maintain camouflage.
However, the WWF admits there are fears lynx may soon become the first cat species to become extinct for at least 2,000 years.
The charity says illegal hunting, decreasing prey, getting struck by vehicles, plus habitat loss and degradation are contributing to the species’s decline.
