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What a Trio | Sand cat kitten triplets born at North Carolina Zoo

Proud parents Cosmo, 9, and Sahara, 3, gave birth to sand cat kittens. This is the couple's first litter.
Credit: North Carolina Zoo

ASHEBORO, N.C. — Small enough to fit into the palm of your hand this trio of cuteness is making their debut at the North Carolina Zoo.

Proud parents Cosmo, 9, and Sahara, 3,  gave birth to sand cat kittens. This is the couple's first litter.

The zoo says the mom and the kittens are doing well and that the kittens are even starting to explore their surroundings at the Desert Habitat.

While there's no doubt these kittens are adorable the North Carolina Zoo says looks can be deceiving.

Zookeepers say sand cat kittens are ferocious and wild species that should not be kept as pets.

Sand cats kill venomous snakes in the desert, hunt during the night to avoid the heat of the desert, and are naturally secretive.

They are one of the smallest feline species in the world and are native to the deserts of the Arabian Peninsula, North Africa, and Asia.

Sand cats also have a keen sense of hearing which makes it easier for them to detect creatures under the sand. They use their amazing digging skills to then capture those creatures swiftly.

In human care, the cats can live to be 13 years old. It is not known how long they can live in the wild due to their mysterious nature it's rare to see them in the wild.

You can catch the sand cat kittens at the North Carolina Zoo soon and they plan to offer a public naming poll for the kittens that will be announced on their website and social media.

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