Paw-some reveal for Zoo’s lion pride
Werribee Open Range Zoo’s adorable lion cub trio has undergone their first vet checks to reveal two males and one female.
The six-week old cubs received their first feline specific vaccinations, were weighed, microchipped and had their eyes and teeth checked.
Werribee Open Range Zoo African River Trail keeper Danielle Ridgway said it is exciting to learn the cubs’ sexes and to see them pass their health assessments with flying colours.
“This is the first time we’ve been able to get an up-close look at the cubs because their experienced mother, Nilo [pronounced: Nee-lo], has been doing such a great job at raising them,” Ms Ridgway said. “The cubs were calm inside their den during the health checks.”
“At birth, the cubs weighed about one-and-a-half kilograms, but they have now grown more than five times in size to around eight kilos.”
Ms Ridgway said the cubs are increasingly inquisitive as they continue to grow.
“They have mastered the art of walking and now that they are on their feet, there is no stopping them,” Ms Ridgway said. “They also love investigating tree branches and logs that keepers are introducing to their den.”
Zoo members and visitors are encouraged to check Zoos Victoria’s website and social channels, zoo.org.au and @zoosvictoria, for updates on when the cubs will be on view to the public.
African lions are listed as Vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List, with their population declining to only 23,000 to 39,000 remaining in the wild in sub-Saharan Africa. The species is facing increasing threats including human-wildlife conflict, poaching and habitat destruction.
The lion pride at Werribee Open Range Zoo is part of the Australasian zoo breeding and conservation program. Breeding and reproduction have significant long-term health and behavioural benefits for female lions, while raising cubs also provides opportunities for lifelong learning for the pride.
The cubs will remain in a private area of their Werribee Open Range Zoo home, away from public view, for the next few weeks as they continue to grow. They are being gradually introduced to the rest of the lion pride, as a wild lioness does to protect and care for her cubs while they are unable to defend themselves.
Zoo members and visitors are encouraged to check Zoos Victoria’s website and social channels, zoo.org.au and @zoosvictoria, for updates on when the cubs will be on view to the public.
Visitors still have the opportunity to see father Sheru [pronounced: Sher-oo], adult lioness Asali [pronounced: A-sa-lee] and, on occasion, mother Nilo along the Zoo’s African River Trail.
The lion cubs will be named through a voting competition for Zoos Victoria members and donors.