SEATTLE — Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle recently welcomed two South African lions.
It’s the first birth of lions at the zoo since 2014.
The zoo’s animal health team did a quick health assessment of the cubs and determined that both cubs are female.
The cubs were born on January 14 to first-time parents, mom Ilanga and dad Tandie. Mom and cubs are currently living in the off-view maternity den where the new family can bond in comfortable, quiet surroundings. The father remains separated from the cubs and mother until the cubs are older.
“As a first-time mother, Ilanga so far is doing a terrific job and is resting and bonding with the cubs. Our animal care staff will be monitoring both mom and cubs closely for signs of normal behavior and development over the next several weeks,” said Martin Ramirez, Curator of Mammalogy at Woodland Park Zoo.
The average litter size for lions is two to three. Lion cubs typically weigh 2.2 to 3.5 pounds at birth. They are born blind and open their eyes within a week or two.
Zoo veterinarians will perform health check-ups every couple of weeks for weight monitoring, vaccinations, and critical blood and fecal sampling.
The cubs represent third-generation lineage at Woodland Park Zoo. “We are very excited about the birth of these lions, especially since they are the grandchildren of Xerxes who fathered Tandie and two other males in 2014. It’s a big win for the Lion Species Survival Plan gene pool, and we’re looking forward to establishing a new pride here and celebrating this incredible legacy of lions at Woodland Park Zoo,” said Ramirez.
The mom and cubs will remain off public view until they are a bit older and demonstrate solid mobility skills. In addition, outdoor temperatures will need to be a minimum of 50 degrees once they are introduced outdoors.
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