Your morning adorable: Endangered Asian lion cubs make their debut at London Zoo

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Two 10-week-old Asian lion cubs made their public debut this morning at the London Zoo. The brother-and-sister cubs are the first of their rare species to be born at the zoo since their mother, Abi, was born there in 1999. Their father is interestingly named Lucifer, another resident of the zoo.

Although the cubs are so young that they don’t even have names yet, zoo staff say they are already developing personalities of their own -- the male has displayed an adventurous spirit, the female a calmer, daintier demeanor. But ‘dainty’ doesn’t mean she’s not ready for a tussle -- keepers have already seen the pair roughhousing over food during mealtime.

Asian lions are critically endangered, with fewer than 300 thought to remain in the wild. All remaining wild Asian lions live in the Gir Forest, a protected region in India’s westernmost state of Gujarat. Another 200 or so live in zoos worldwide, and an additional two are certainly cause for celebration!

More photos of mother and cubs after the jump.

-- Lindsay Barnett

1st, 2nd photos: Kirsty Wigglesworth / Associated Press
All other photos: Dan Kitwood / Getty Images