African lion cub at the Saint Louis Zoo

Imani, the Zoo's two-and-a-half-month-old African lion cub, explored a play habitat outdoors at Big Cat Country for the first time. This temporary play space is one of the snow leopard habitats, which is just the right size for a young lion cub that is just beginning to climb and pounce.

"It will be a gradual learning experience for Imani as she is introduced to one of the smaller outdoor habitats at Big Cat Country," says Steve Bircher, curator of mammals. "When she gets a little older and more comfortable outdoors we plan to introduce her to the lion habitat."

The cub was moved from the veterinary hospital to Big Cat Country several weeks ago. She now weighs 24 pounds, eats two pounds of meat a day, and is doing very well. While still being cared for by her keepers, she is gradually being introduced to her mother Cabara and father Ingozi through mesh or "howdy gate" behind the scenes. The staff hopes to reintroduce the cub and mother sometime in the future.

"Imani is a playful and energetic cub who seems to enjoy the company of both her parents as well as the carnivore keepers who have been caring for her over the past couple months," says Bircher.

On July 17, 2011, a litter of two African lion cubs was born at the Saint Louis Zoo on July 17. One of the two females was stillborn.

The mother lion, Cabara (cah-BAR-ah), age 5, seemed to be interested in caring for her surviving cub. After about six days, however, the little cub appeared dehydrated and was removed from Big Cat Country for hand-rearing at the Zoo's veterinary hospital. Several hours each day, she was returned to a den next to her mother.

"Lions are social animals, and the cub needs to grow up in a family group if at all possible," explains Bircher. "We hope to raise a well-adjusted lion."

The African lion is a social cat that lives in a pride, or family group, mainly comprised of up to 40 related adult females and their young. Male lions generally live with a pride for two to three years.

A female lion normally gives birth to a litter of three to four cubs, after a gestation period of approximately 110 days. The lion pride usually hunts as a group and preys on medium to large-sized antelopes, zebra and buffalo.




In the past 25 years, the wild lion population has halved. Currently there are fewer than 25,000 lions surviving in Africa. Habitat loss, poaching and human-lion conflict have contributed to this significant decline. The lion has been listed as vulnerable by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, which is one level below threatened with extinction.

In addition to increasing awareness of the lion's plight in the wild, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) has developed the Lion Species Survival Plan, a program that manages a genetically healthy population of lions in North American zoos. Currently there are 337 lions living in 100 AZA institutions, which may serve as a genetic reserve for this species in the future.

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• cute
• cub
• lion
• lioness
• baby
• zoo babies
• cat

[DelicatelyDestroyed]

too cute! I can't wait to see her :)