Buffalo Zoo Introduces A Newly Born Male African Lion Cub

A 10-pound lion cub (shown in the video below) was born on March 5 at the Buffalo Zoo. It was introduced on Wednesday, April 27, 2016, and will be shown to the public for a few weeks. The cub is the first born at the zoo in 25 years.

It has no official name yet. The cub is the offspring of parents Lelie and Tiberius, who were paired among Survival Plan (SSP) endorsement for the threatened species. They are both the offspring of native African lions and they came to Buffalo zoo in 2013 and 2014 respectively, according to Buffalo News.

Donna Fernandes, the zoo's president, said that they are cautiously optimistic about the new lion cub and thrilled with its progress so far, but it is not out in the woods yet. "In fact, it is common not to have any surviving offspring of a first-time litter by a lioness, in the wild or in human care."

Lelie's delivered four cubs. On the other hand, the three died within the first two days. The half-sister of Lelie, Lusaka, is having signs of pregnancy too. The officials of the zoo are monitoring Lusaka, according to WGRZ.

The Buffalo zoo is also observing Lelie and the newborn cub's health and development milestones. They would also give time for both of them to bond. This is to ensure their survival. With this, the cub will not be exhibited yet in the zoo. On the other hand, the zoo officials will send photos and videos to inform the cub's fan.

The African lion, also termed as the Panthera lion, is one of the big cats in the family of Felidae and the genus Panthera. It is the second largest living cat next to the tiger. They exist in sub-Saharan Africa and in India. They usually spread in Northern and Western Europe and its species in the Americas from Yukon to Peru. Its population decline, while the cause are not yet fully understood. The West African lion is already endangered in Africa.