WASHINGTON – The National Zoo’s new cheetah cubs frolicked in the snow, flipped backward down a grassy hill and playfully swatted each other Friday, exploring their yard under the watchful eye of their mother.

It was a rare outdoor appearance for the caramel-colored cats. The public will get its first chance to see the 10-week-old cheetahs today.

Since they were born Nov. 23, the two males and two females have spent most of their time indoors bonding with mom and receiving careful attention from veterinarians. To prepare them for their new home, zookeepers have spent the past month slowly introducing them to the outdoors – and the wintry weather.

“They actually seem to like the snow,” said cheetah keeper Craig Saffoe. Still, he said the zoo limits the cubs’ outdoor playtime to a few hours a day. The world’s fastest land animals are natives of Africa.

This is the 115-year-old National Zoo’s first litter of cheetahs, zoo officials said. The cubs weigh about 10 pounds each, but will grow to 10 times that size in a year.

“It’s a big event for us,” said veterinarian Carlos Sanchez. Cheetahs can be picky about selecting a mate, and male cheetahs in captivity tend to have low sperm levels, so many matings are unsuccessful, zoo officials said.

The cubs will stay together until they become adults on their first birthday. They may then be sent to breed with selected cheetahs at other zoos to ensure a genetically viable population.

They typically live eight to 10 years.