A TIGER cub today got his first sight of the world as he emerged from his den, carried in the jaws of his protective mother.

The nine-week-old Amur tiger is one of three new arrivals at Marwell Zoo, near Winchester.

Keepers and guests have been eagerly waiting for the first tiger cubs at the attraction in 12 years to make their debut public appearance.

They were delighted to watch the baby animal gently carried out into daylight for the first time in the mouth of its loving mother.

Mum 'Milla' gave birth on May 21 to the triplets, two boys and one girl, who are now fully vaccinated so it is safe for them to venture out of their paddock.

The three curious cubs had been poking their heads around the door of the den, which had been opened for the first time.

When one of the young tigers seemed ready to go outside, its mother picked it up and carried it out so she could stay with and protect her baby on its first trip outdoors.

Marc Fox, team leader of carnivores at Marwell Zoo said: "We are over the moon that Milla has successfully given birth to three cubs.

"As it’s 12 years since we had tiger cubs this is particularly great news for Marwell.

"The cubs are slowly finding their feet under the watchful eye of mum Milla. As they continue to grow, so will their confidence.

"I’m sure they’ll be bounding around their enclosure in no time!”

Keepers will choose names for two of the cubs and the public will have a chance to name one in a competition to be launched next week.

Dad, ‘Bagai’ currently lives next door to Mum and cubs and he also caught his first glimpse of the new arrivals.

Once the cubs have settled in to their new surroundings keepers will think about housing the family together.

This is Milla and Bagai's first litter together. The tigers are part of an important European endangered species Breeding Programme (EEP) which maintains a healthy captive population of tigers and preserves critical genetic diversity for the future.

In the 1940s, the Amur tiger was close to extinction with an estimated population of fewer than 30 individuals remaining in the wild.

Today, the Amur Tiger has full priority species protection in both countries in which it can be found - Russia and China.

The population is now estimated to be 360 individuals, but poaching is still a threat to the species.