• Three rare liger cubs were born at Novosibirsk Zoo in southern Russia
• The month old female cubs have a lion father and a tiger mother
  
• The cubs will eventually grow to be the largest known feline species
  

With the facial features of a lionness but the stripes of a tiger, these adorable cubs are a rarity in the feline world.

The three little cubs may look cute now, but they will grow to be the largest known species of big cat in the world – the liger.

The three rare ligers, which can grow up to 3.5 metres in length, have been keeping their tiger mother Zita and lion father Sam on their toes at the Novosibirsk Zoo in southern Russia.

Adorable: Three rare liger cubs took their first steps in the outside world after being born at a Russian zoo last month

Loving: The liger's mother Zita is pictured lovingly grooming one of her cubs

Playful: The liger cubs were pictured playing with their mother on their first foray into the great outdoors

The female cubs were all born a month ago but have just taken their first steps outside.

The tiny trio are all on a diet of their mother’s milk at the moment but will tuck in to up to 100lb of meat in one sitting when they are fully grown.

A keeper at the zoo said: ‘All three of the girls have completely different characters.

‘One is always near their mother’s side, one enjoys exploring and one is always misbehaving and play fighting.

Cosy: A month old liger cub snuggles up to its mother

Big eaters: The cubs are currently on a diet of their mother's milk but will eat up to 100lbs of meat in one sitting when they are older

‘Visitors coming to the zoo have been desperate to get a glimpse of the newborns as they are so rare.

‘People always comment on how it’s hard to believe they grow to be so big as they are so cute and tiny at there moment.’

The animals have faint tiger stripes on a lionesque tawny background.

Male ligers can grow to up to 3.5 metres in length.

The first known liger dates back to 19th century India.

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