Six tiger cubs, including three Amur and three Malayan tigers, have made their debut at New York's Bronx zoo on Thursday in what zoo-keepers hope will attract more visitors to the century-old attraction.

The tigers are a rare site with the last litter of Amur tigers born there more than 13 years ago. Malayan cubs have never exhibited before at the zoo.

The arrival of the cubs has brought a new dynamic to the popular Tiger Mountain exhibit as it will be the first time zoo-goers will be able to see Amur and Malayan tigers in adjacent exhibits, allowing them to compare differences in size and colour.

Tigers are a critically endangered species, with fewer than 3,500 remaining in the wild - only 1,000 of which are breeding females.

Most of the tigers' host countries are poor and conservation is not the top priority.

The Bronx Zoo wants the six tiger cubs to be seen as ambassadors for their species.