Three African lions born at Woodland Park Zoo (PHOTOS/VIDEO)
SEATTLE -- Three African lions were born Friday at the Woodland Park Zoo. The cubs are the first litter between mother, 5-year-old Adia, and father, 7-year-old Xerxes.
Zookeepers moved the cubs into the maternity den where the family can bond in more comfortable surroundings.
“Animal management staff are closely monitoring the litter via an internal cam to ensure the mom is providing good maternal care and the cubs are properly nursing. The mom and cubs will remain off public view until they are a bit older and demonstrate solid mobility skills. In addition, outdoor temperatures need to be a minimum of 50 degrees,” said Martin Ramirez, mammal curator at Woodland Park Zoo.
The cubs were reunited with mom after a quick health assessment of the cubs. All three are males.
Officials are monitoring the cubs and say the Adia is bonding and nursing all three cubs.
Lion cubs typically weigh about 3 pounds at birth. They are born blind and open their eyes within a week or two after birth. As part of the exemplary animal care and health program for the zoo’s thousand-plus animals, zoo veterinarians will perform health check-ups every couple of weeks for weight monitoring, vaccinations, and critical blood and fecal sampling.