Congratulations to mama lion Asali and daddy Tomo, parents of three cubs born on September 22.
(Photo: Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, via the Columbus Dispatch)
A few days ago, zookeepers finally got to check them out, acccording to the Columbus Dispatch:
The triplet lion cubs born at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium two weeks ago got their first well-baby checkups Monday and zookeepers report that they’re healthy and adorable.
The cubs, one male and two females, weighed between 5.7 and 6.7 pounds each.
Assistant curator Harry Peachey said they’re developing quickly and will be on display as soon as keepers feel they’re ready to go into the lion yard. The weather, too, will play a part in when the public gets to see them.
The African lion cubs are the first born at the zoo in 24 years. They spend most of their time in an indoor den that keepers created for the births by first-time mother Asali. Zookeepers at first only could see them through the lens of a video camera.
The zoo has posted time-lapse video. It’s not great quality. Still, you can see that Asali is an attentive mom, behaving much like any mama cat would do. (Nurse, groom, nurse, groom, ad infinitum.) The keepers held off on checking the babies for the first two weeks so as not to disturb the bond between mama and cubs.
I’m hopeful that all three cubs will survive and thrive, since they’ve made it this far. And I’m hoping for fair weather. I want to see them while they’re still little!
This might be Asali, or it could be her sister, Kazi. The picture is from August 14, 2009, so if it’s Asali, she would have been a little more than halfway through her pregnancy.
This is the dad, Tomo.
This is Tomo, playing with his ball.
(First two pictures taken by me, Sungold; the last one is my husband’s.)
Patron cat of Kittywampus (1985-2001)
