When male lion Kumar arrived in Frankfurt last September, then zoo director Prof. Dr. Manfred Niekisch said he hoped Kumar and lioness Zarina would get along well - maybe even so well that there would eventually be offspring. And indeed, there is now even a triple reason for joy: on the afternoon of April 14, the Asiatic lioness gave birth to three cubs - her first litter. So far, everything looks good: the young lioness is doing everything right and taking good care of her offspring.
Zoo director Dr. Miguel Casares is also relieved: "We are very happy that Zarina mastered her first birth so smoothly and obviously settled immediately into her new role as mother. The pictures from the camera in the whelping box show three vital kittens, close to their mother and being suckled by her. We will monitor everything closely over the next few days, but will not intervene to allow the bond between mother and kittens to develop in a stable manner." For this reason, the cat jungle will also remain closed to visitors for the next few days. After all, any disturbance is to be avoided. Kumar is also currently separated from Zarina and the cubs.
"I am very happy that ZARINA has given birth to three healthy lion cubs and I will keep a close eye on their development in the near future. The lion triplets are definitely a significant breeding success and a highlight for Frankfurt Zoo," says Head of Culture Dr. Ina Hartwig. After a prenatal examination, four fetuses were assumed in the case of the almost six-year-old ZARINA. Whether one of the cubs was stillborn and eaten by ZARINA cannot be determined from the camera images. The female shows a completely normal behaviour, at the moment there are no signs of complications. Let's hope it stays that way! We wish the lion cubs and their parents all the best!
