A lucky few guests were able to catch a rare glimpse of two white Bengal tiger cubs on 20 March, as they received their first vaccinations at the Hungarian zoo where they were born two months ago.

Mother Jasmin gave birth to the pair in January at the zoo in Gyor in western Hungary, but the as-yet unnamed babies had to be separated from her as she refused to take care of them soon after the birth.

The siblings are likely to be females, though the zoo has not yet confirmed this. The zoo doctor could be seen giving them a thorough examination on Friday and administering their first vaccination as well as feeding them vermifuge tablets to prevent worms.

The cubs are developing well with the close attention of the zoo keepers, who bottle-feed them and give them small amounts of meat. Like most baby tigers, they are becoming increasingly boisterous as they grow up.

A variant of the Bengal tiger found primarily in India, Bengal white tigers are extremely rare in the wild.

Conservation efforts mean their numbers have been growing in captivity, but the World Wildlife Fund estimates that there are fewer than 2,500 Bengal tigers left in the wild.

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