Scientists have unveiled two extinct cave lion cubs (pictured), their whiskers still bristling after more than 12,000 years preserved in the Siberian ice. The ancient predators, named Uyan and Dina were dug from the permafrost to make their first appearance since Pleistocene timesThe discovery was revealed last month but close-up pictures of the cubs been only just been revealed. They have been described as being the size of 'plump' domestic cats and still have all their body parts including fur, ears, soft tissue and even whiskersDr Albert Protopopov, head of the mammoth fauna studies department of the Yakutian Academy of Sciences, said: 'This find, beyond any doubt, is sensational'Experts do not know the gender of the cubs, but have named them in honour of the Uyandina river where they were found. It is believed that Uyan and Dina perished when their mother hid them from hungry lionsCave lions - Panthera spelaea (Goldfuss) - lived during Middle and Late Pleistocene times on the Eurasian continent, from the British Isles to Chukotka in the extreme east of Russia, and they also roamed Alaska and northwestern Canada【图片】The Siberian academics want to find and co-operate with a world expert on lion cubs, to help them understand the differences with modern lions, and especially how they protected themselves from the extreme Siberian cold. The claw of one of the preserved cubs is pictured