Double the cuteness: First glimpse of twin panda cubs just hours after they were born at Chinese research centre

It's hard to believe these tiny creatures will grow into giant pandas and weigh 100 - 160 kg. There are about 1,600 left in the wild. More than 300 pandas live in zoos and breeding centers around the world, mostly in China. 

Yesterday was a very special day for the panda. The twin pandas, who are both female, were born to Ke Lin in the early hours of Monday morning at the Chengdu Giant Panda Research Base in south west China.

The tiny cubs are reported to be the first set of twin pandas to be born across the world this year.

Playful: The twin pandas were born in the early hours of this morning at a research base in Chengdu in China 

Snuggles: The baby girls, who weigh 118 grams and 70 grams respectively, are being kept in an incubator 

Feeding time: The tiny cubs, who are both healthy, are drinking just one millilitre of milk at each feeding.

Staff at the research centre said that both baby pandas are healthy, weighing 118 grams and 70 grams respectively.

They added that mother Kei Lin, who is seven, showed a strong maternal instinct, trying to cradle her babies soon after birth.

The pair are currently being kept in an incubator and drink just one millilitre of milk at each feeding.