Seven giant panda cubs steal hearts

Cuteness alert.

In 2012, seven giant panda cubs were born at the Chengdu Panda Base in Chengdu, China's Sichuan province.

The "cutest panda photo ever" of the seven adorable cubs, named Oreo, Xiao Qiao, Si Yi, Yuan Run, Miao Miao and twins Cheng Shuang and Cheng Dui, napping together is melting hearts worldwide.

"Pambassador finalist Melissa Katz from the U.S. formally announced the new additions today in Chengdu and all the cubs are in good health and were photographed together for the first time," Alejandro Grau, a spokesperson for the reserve, told Discovery News of the baby boom.

Earlier in the year, the Chengdu Panda Base announced its search for thee "Pambassadors," a dream job for panda-lovers that involves a year-long Global Panda Conservation Tour.

"I'm very excited to announce this big news, and with my fellow pambassador finalist friends be the first people to photograph all these babies together," Katz, a field hockey coach from Tinton Falls, N.J., said in a press release.

Dr Zhang Zhihe, director of the Chengdu Panda Base, told the Independent, "We are delighted that 2012 have been such a bumper year for panda cubs at the Chengdu Panda Base. The birth of so many baby giant pandas is a testament to the success of our breeding programme."

"Tourists can visit these seven panda cubs at the Sunshine and Moon Nursery House at the Chengdu Panda Base," CNNGo reports, adding that visitors are currently not allowed to hold them.

Since it's establishment in 1987, 124 giant panda cubs have been born at Chengdu Base, the National Post reports. Eighty-eight of those cubs survived, and 83 remain at the base.

"In 1996, the captive giant panda population was 130," Rebecca Snyder, curator of mammals at Zoo Atlanta told Discovery News. "Now it is at 300 worldwide."