Wild lioness giving birth - Mala Mala Game Reserve

A wild lioness gives birth to two cubs in a Game Reserve in South Africa, this is the first and only known video footage of this happening in the wild ever!

The video was taken by Ranger Graham Dyer who says to play the whole video as the best view is towards the end.

In the video the lioness licks the first cub just after it's born then positions for the birth of the second, the cub in it's birth sac is visible, later the two cubs are seen crawling around as the new mother rests.

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• lioness
• cubs
• birth
• malamala
• game
• wildlife
• mala
• wild
• rare
• first

[cobra60six]

I'm surprised that she would give birth in such an open area, at least it seems to be quite open and unprotected.

[BMGDyer]

@cobra60six: Absolutely, it is most unusual for a lioness to give birth out in the open AND with the pride, normally a day or two before she seeks out a secluded spot, normally one of the rocky outcrops in the reserve where I work, and gives birth there away from other predators. It was a young lioness and the pride had caught/eaten something during the night so maybe the instinct to stay and feed was stronger than making preparations for the birth. These cubs unfortunately did not survive.

[BMGDyer]

Thank you all, FWIW, unfortunately the quality of the video uploaded is not very good due to circumstances out of my control, i.e. the compression and flash video format. The original looks great with detail and clarity, it is however 1.4GB in DVD format, 730MB in .avi format and 300MB in .wmv format hence the impracticality of putting a high quality version up on the 'net somewhere. Youtube also reduces the size and quality of the videos when it converts them to the Flash Video format it uses.

[ROL332]

thank you for sharing this wonderful event

[origamipein18]

I never realized how small lion cubs are when they're born!: )

[Mrcody762]

@kohhuiyu they never make it they die later its sad

[kohhuiyu]

I think I'm in love with the cubs

[opaque1231]

@BMGDyer omgoddd why didnt they survive!!1 thats soo sad!!! if u dont mind me asking... if u guys work there and u seea aninmal in danger U SHOULD intervene and take care of them then release them back in the wld... i hate it when they say let nature take its course ....

[Sexy44274]

I thought for a second that the mother sat on her newborn baby!!! What a relief lol This is amazing. I love nature.

[Navybluthrd002]

Cute babies.

[zirsandrix69]

nice vid...