RARE Sumatran tigers cubs are making hearts melt with their public debut at Paignton Zoo.

The two-month-old cubs were allowed into their public enclosure for the first time yesterday and were greeted with delight by visitors.

Although there were concerns after eight weeks in the den the wide open space could have been too much for them, the bold youngsters took the step into the limelight in their stride.

A zoo spokesman said: "They are making the heart melt. The visitors are just opened mouthed. This reaction is what we do all the hard work for. At eight weeks the cubs are quite mobile and inquisitive but they still sleep a lot during the day.

"They will become more active over the coming weeks.

"It is exciting, but if people can keep quiet when they are at the tiger enclosure then they are more likely to see the cubs."

The cubs were born overnight on Thursday, February 5, during a snowstorm.

For the last eight weeks they have been hidden away in a den, being cared by their mother Banda to ensure they bond.

Zoo vets have now micro-chipped the cubs and given them the same vaccinations a domestic kitten receives.

They have also been sexed: there are two males, two females, with the males weighing 8kg and 7kg and the females 7kg and 6kg. Each cub has a unique pattern of stripes.

Male Tenang will be kept separate for the family to ensure the safety of the cubs.

The zoo is a member of the European endangered species programme for Sumatran tigers, which is part of the global effort to save this endangered species from extinction.

Captive and wild populations are protected and managed in an attempt to prevent Sumatran tigers following the Bali and Javan tigers into extinction.

The zoo spokesman said: "An animal's ranking in the breeding programme changes as its genes become better represented in the population. Tenang is currently ranked number one in the Sumatran tiger Euro programme and Banda is number 20, so they are both important animals."

The newborns are already stars of the internet, appearing on Paignton Zoo's website www.paigntonzoo.org.uk and on Facebook and You Tube.

Now, cameras and a plasma screen are being erected at the tiger enclosure to help visitors get a better view.