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Lion Cub Fact Sheet
Zookeepers selected African names for the three males and one female. They are:
At this time, keepers report that Ajani and Zarina show the most distinct personalities:
This birth is only the second large carnivore birth at the Virginia Zoo in over 35 years. The first was the birth of lion cubs Granby and Neka in August 2007. The gestation period for a lion is 110 days. Lions may have up to five cubs at a time, although litters of two to three cubs are more common. Adults Zola and Mramba are a valuable breeding match with ideal genetic pedigrees according to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), which placed both lions at the Virginia Zoo as part of the Species Survival Plan (SSP). SSP animals are critically endangered. Their genetic populations are monitored in the wild and closely managed in captivity, because in most cases, the loss of either population would lead to extinction of the species.
The AZA placed Granby and Neka, the cubs born in 2007, at separate facilities in Oregon, where they will breed to continue the genetic line. When the cubs born in May are old enough, the AZA will make placement recommendations that will take into account the welfare of the lions while also benefiting other zoo’s exhibits and breeding programs. Zola gave birth without assistance, although Zoo staff monitored her via a camera.
On August 19, the cubs will be released into their exhibit without their mother. On Thursday, August 20, Zola will join them, and the community will get their first view of mom and cubs. Once they have all adjusted to the larger space, they will be reintroduced to the adult male, Mramba, and the pride will be reunited.
The AZA operates 115 SSP programs for endangered species. In addition to lions, the Virginia Zoo has 11 SSP animals. Although some of these animals are in breeding programs, such as the lions, bongo, ground hornbill and red panda, in other cases, the animals in the Virginia Zoo’s collection are not recommended for breeding for factors such as age such as the elephants and white rhinoceros. Here is a list of all of the Virginia Zoo’s SSP animals:
Photo Captions:
08/20/09
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Four lion cubs were born at the Virginia Zoo on May 2, 2009. This is the second litter for female Zola and male Mramba.
Zarina is the quietest of the cubs and sticks out her tongue a lot. Of all the cubs, she had the hardest time learning how to climb onto a ledge in their den. She was determined to do it, however, and now it’s one of her favorite places to sit.
The AZA manages the animal collections of its member zoos and recommends placements to ensure the best care for the animals and to maintain a healthy and sustainable population that is genetically diverse and stable.
Although still a young lion herself, she is a protective and devoted mother to her cubs. It is a priority to Zoo staff to allow Zola to care for her cubs, even though that meant that she was off exhibit for several months. During this time, Zola was given access to an off-exhibit outdoor area. She started bringing the cubs with her to that area, which may have disappointed web visitors who were fans of the “Cub Cam” (the outdoor area is out of camera range), but contributed to healthy bond Zola developed with her cubs.
Visitors to the Virginia Zoo will have the unique opportunity to see six lions on exhibit, and watch four young cubs grow up.