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Lincoln Park Zoo's First Red Panda Cubs Explore For First Time (VIDEO)

By Mina Bloom | October 22, 2015 12:35pm | Updated on October 23, 2015 11:54am
 Clark and Addison, twins who were born June 26, exploring their habitat for the first time with their mother, Leafa.
Clark and Addison, twins who were born June 26, exploring their habitat for the first time with their mother, Leafa.
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DNAinfo/Mina Bloom

LINCOLN PARK — Baseball's done for the season at the corner of Clark and Addison, but these cute red panda cubs will hold you over until next season. 

Lincoln Park Zoo's first-ever red panda cubs, Clark and Addison, explored the outside world for the first time Thursday morning after spending months in their nest box.

Clark, the smaller of the two cubs, was especially adorable. The cub bounded around the habitat, climbing up trees and sometimes playfully falling off of them much to onlookers' delight. At one point, Clark quickly scurried up a wall, which was captured in the below video.

Addison wasn't timid either. The larger cub bounded around as well and appeared to be having a lot of fun exploring the habitat while the mother, Leafa, roamed around.

According to Mark Kamhout, curator of mammals at the zoo, red panda cubs are usually smaller in size like Clark. The twins were born on June 26, but Addison simply grew at a faster pace, he said.

"They're having a ball. The wind, the sun, the different smells and sounds are all wonderful for them," Kamhout said Thursday morning.

As the dynamic duo continues to acclimate to their habitat, they will be on and off exhibit at the zoo. Like babies, the cubs will have to go inside to nap every so often, Kamhout said. 

Despite resembling raccoons and having panda in their name, red pandas are in their own family. The animals are considered vulnerable due to a loss of habitat and poaching.

Check out the adorable cubs in action below:

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