Three rare lion cubs born at Czech zoo

Three Barbary lion cubs have been born in a Czech zoo, a vital contribution to a small surviving population of a rare lion subspecies that has been extinct in the wild.

The triplets, all female, were born on July 5 in the Dvur Kralove park. They have taken their first steps in their outdoor enclosure this week under the careful supervision of their mother Khalila. They are yet to be named.

One of the biggest lion subspecies, which once roamed its native northern Africa, was completely wiped out due to human activities.

Many were killed by gladiators in Roman times while hunting contributed to their extinction later.

It's believed Barbary lions went extinct in the wild in the middle of the 1960s. Only dozens survived in the collection of the King of Morocco.

The Czech zoo is part of a pan-European endangered species program that coordinates efforts for their survival in captivity.

Currently, only around 100 are estimated to live in captivity.