Exciting school holiday news! Five African Lion Cubs (the first to be born at Taronga Zoo Sydney in 18 years) arrived in mid-August, and you can now catch a first close-up glimpse of the adorable cubs.
While we might not be able to head to Taronga Zoo just yet, you can bring the Zoo into your home these school holidays by tuning in to Taronga TV’s brand-new Cub Cam.
5 new lion cubs born at Taronga Zoo
Carnivore Unit Supervisor Louise Ginman said the new pride are in good health and going from strength to strength.
“Maya is a very attentive, nurturing and relaxed mother. Her labour went off without a hitch and we couldn’t be happier with the maternal behaviours that we are observing. Now weighing between 5-6kg compared to approximately 1.5 kg at birth, each cub is growing and developing beautifully with mum Maya ensuring each cub is suckling and feeding well.”
Your chance to name a cub
Their carnivore keepers have come up with three great suggestions, which pay heritage to the native homeland.
Help name one of these adorable cubs
To make your choice, simply choose from one of the three names provided and tell them why, in 25 words or less, you think that name is the puuurfect fit for their latest arrival.
- Luzuko: which means ‘Glory’ and is of South African origin.
- Khari: a Swahili name meaning ‘Like a King’.
- Mahiri: a Swahili name meaning ‘Skillful’ and ‘Clever’.
Head to the website to cast your vote for your chance to win a family pass to Taronga Zoo and meet these precious cubs in real life!
Taronga TV’s Cub Cam
The Taronga TV cub cam is available for a limited time only for a tax-deductible donation of $7, allowing you to watch the youngsters grow, all while supporting their cousins in the wild.
“In a first for Taronga, we are giving our community access to meet these five precious cubs and bringing them along on the journey from the very beginning. From when they start finding their feet, to when their paws touch grass for the first time – our community will be right there with us. As a not-for-profit zoo, one the best ways the public can support our two Zoos and our critical conservation work is by tuning in to Taronga TV’s brand-new cub cam. With a donation of just $7 you are supporting our work at Taronga’s two zoos and our on-the-ground work in Northern Kenya -one of six native homelands of the African Lion.” Cameron Kerr, CEO, Taronga Conservation Society Australia.
African Lions
Watch the Cub Cam and support their cousins in the wild
African Lions are currently classified as vulnerable in the wild, with their population continuing to decrease due to human-animal conflict, habitat loss, illegal wildlife trade and poaching.
“Taronga’s pride of lions are such amazing ambassadors for their wild counterparts as they help to raise awareness for their species and bring to the forefront the threats facing them in the wild. Maya has been an invaluable contributor to the regional breeding program of the African Lion, and with less than 20,000 African Lions remaining in the wild, every cub really does count,” – Carnivore Unit Supervisor Louise Ginman.
Despite both Taronga’s two Zoos being closed, the critical conservation work never stops and for a small tax-deductible donation of just $7 the public can now access Taronga TV’s brand-new cub cam and continue to support Taronga’s vital conservation work and help save Lions in the wild. Watch today.
