Great news in Pairi Daiza. The zoo in Brugelette (Hainaut) has announced that two lions were born at the end of February. The cubs can be visited from today in ‘The Land of Origins’ (around Africa). In the meantime they also met their father Kenya (9).
Albi and Leo are called the lions, both males. “They were naturally processed and born,” said Pairi Daiza. “And they are doing great, just like their mother Kira (11).”
The birth dates back to the morning of February 20. The cubs weighed an estimated half a kilogram at the time. Until now, they lived separately from their mother and were closely watched.
Protective
Tim Bouts, veterinarian of Pairi Daiza: “From the beginning, the female has been very protective of her offspring. The cubs suckle well and have good motor skills. We keep a close eye on them with the entire team, but we intervene as little as possible to let nature take its course.”
The birth of cubs is great news for the species. Lions are classified as “vulnerable” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and their numbers in the wild are on the decline.
The lion used to be one of the most common large carnivores in the world, but in the past 200 years 90 percent of the species disappeared. They are victims of trophy hunters and the encroachment of their habitat by human activity. There are now less than 25,000 left in Africa.
Killed in front of visitors: how monkey Fito’s ‘teasing’ went wrong (+)
Free unlimited access to Showbytes? Which can!
Log in or create an account and never miss a thing from the stars.