Three Northern Cheetah cubs have been born at Fota Wildlife Park in County Cork.

The cubs, one male and two females, were born to mother Nimpy and father Sam in early June.

Fota said they have only recently ventured out of their den and have spent the last few days enjoying the mild weather in an area known as Cheetah Hill in the park.

Northern Cheetah cubs born at Fota Wildlife Park. Image: Darragh Kane/Fota

Lead ranger Julien Fonteneau said: “We are delighted to be announcing a second litter of Northern cheetah cubs since re-opening in May.

“Without a doubt, the Northern cheetah is the most successful breeding programme here at Fota and the species has become synonymous with the Park - it’s even on our logo.

“We put that breeding success down to the naturalistic habitats and environments that we create for the animals.”

A Northern Cheetah cub, born at Fota Wildlife Park, with its mother. Image: Darragh Kane/Fota

Fota is calling on the public to name the new cubs – with a chance to win one of three year long annual passes to the park up for grabs.

The mother Nimpy is ten-years-old and was born in Parc Zoologique de La Palmyre in France, while the father Sam was born in Wadi Al Safa Wildlife Centre in Dubai.

Sam arrived in Cork in 2017 and has had two other litters of cubs this year.

Northern Cheetah cubs born at Fota Wildlife Park. Image: Darragh Kane/Fota

The species is classified as endangered and a 2017 expert report on the decline of the cheetah suggested there were fewer than 2,800 of the sub-species left in the wild.

Some 204 Northern Cheetahs have now been born at Fota over the years.