JINAN, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- A pigeon pair of rare white lion cubs were born earlier this month in east China's Shandong Province.

(Photos: Xinhua)

The cubs were born on Oct. 2 and are in stable condition, according to Wild World Jinan Thursday. The male cub weighed 1,350 grams at birth and its twin sister was 1,250 grams.

Staff at the wildlife park are taking care of the cubs and closely monitoring the youngsters' weight, feces, body temperature and digestion on a regular basis.

The cubs will be able to meet the public after an observation period of around 30 to 40 days.

White lions, whose fur ranges from golden blonde to almost white, are not albinos. Their color is caused by a specific genetic disorder when a recessive gene stops pigment deposition.

White lions are critically endangered. The Global White Lion Protection Trust estimates that their population is only 100, while only 13 are in the wild. 

The park in Jinan introduced three white lions, including one male and two females, from South Africa in 2018.