Ciudad Juarez, Mexico - A Mexican zoo is celebrating treasured new additions, two white Bengal tiger cubs - one of the world's most endangered species - who recently made their first public appearance since being born.

The cubs parents, mother Sascha and father Jazim, both rescued from circuses, live at the San Jorge Zoo in the Mexican border city of Ciudad Juarez, where the cubs were born. Zoo keepers said the birth of the tigers represented an important contribution to saving the animals from extinction.

They are currently both being nursed by their mother, who weighs about 440 pounds and feeds solely on meat, according to zoo officials.

"In this case, it's very nice to see the mother is looking after her cubs, because normally cubs of mothers in captivity don't survive. In some cases, due to a lack of care by the mother for her cub or due to stress, the animal might kill and eat them," said veterinarian Juan Francisco Olivas.

Sascha and Jazim moved into the zoo two years ago. The whelps, who were born a month ago, are in good health and now weigh about 6.6 pounds each.

Both cubs are on exhibition, unless it rains and turns cold. In that case, they will be moved inside for protection. Up until now, they had been kept in isolation.

In a few weeks, children will be asked to send in name suggestions for the cubs via email.

White tigers are a genetic variation of the better-known orange Bengal tigers.