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Philadelphia Zoo's New Snow Leopard Cubs Meet An Enraptured Public

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Today was a big day at the Philadelphia Zoo, as two snow leopard cubs made their debut to the public.

The brothers were born June 9th (see previous story), and have since grown to about 28 pounds each.  They are the first snow leopards bred at the Philadelphia Zoo.

And even though these five-month-old cubs are twins, Keith Hinshaw, director of animal health at the zoo, says they have far different personalities.

"The one named Kimti is more adventurous, and the one named Dian is a little bit more cautious," he tells KYW Newsradio.  "But despite that, Dian is the first one who has learned to climb up on the rocks."

But Dian was not the first to face the cameras -- Kimti decided to take that honor, surveying the wall of reporters and cameras from several yards back.

Snow leopards are endangered. There are fewer than five thousand of them in the wild.

Reported by Suzanne Monaghan, KYW Newsradio 1060

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