NORFOLK — A newborn lion cub is healthy and bonding with his mother after being born at the Virginia Zoo late last month.
The male cub was born on Oct. 28 to his 13-year-old mom Zola and dad Mramba inside of Zola’s indoor den, according to a news release. The “fuzzy and vocal” cub weighed three pounds, five ounces at birth and is now up to 10 pounds — a healthy size for his age, the zoo says.
“The birth of any animal is always exciting,” Greg Bockheim, executive director of the Virginia Zoo, said in a release. “The birth of this lion cub specifically is a significant contribution to its genetic population and also provides a fun educational opportunity to our community.”
Lions are considered vulnerable to extinction, according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. The population has dipped by 43 percent over the last 20 years, down to less than 30,000 lions in the wild.
There has been one small hiccup so far in the cub’s young life. Zola’s grooming techniques were a bit too “ambitious” during the cub’s first week and he developed a wound under his right leg.
“This isn’t uncommon for a single cub,” zoo veterinarian Dr. Colleen Clabbers said. “Typically, a lioness births two to five cubs and can spread her attention among all of them. In this case, Zola only has one cub to care for, and although she’s doing a great job, her strong maternal instincts have proven to be a little excessive.”
Zola and the cub remain in their dens but the zoo will post photos, videos and updates on their Facebook and Instagram pages. The cub must continue to grow, receive vaccinations and strengthen his immune system before going out on exhibit.
A naming contest will be held in the coming weeks which will raise money for a lion conservation, a zoo spokesperson said.
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