The rare snow tiger has taken one small step further from the brink of extinction after the birth of triplets on Wednesday in a zoo in Harbin, the capital city of Heilongjiang Province.

Sources with the zoo said that the parents of the two female and one male baby snow tigers were introduced from Europe in 2000, and the mother had also given birth in 2001.

It was the third time the mother had given birth in the zoo.

Snow tigers, with pure white fur, are a variation of the Bengal tiger and have been listed among the most endangered species worldwide. China has only six snow tigers.

The newborn siblings are in good condition, each weighing about one kilogram.

(Xinhua News Agency August 1, 2003)