• Donate Now
  • Volunteer
  • Contact Us
Big Cat Rescue
  • Get Involved
  • Cub Facts
  • The Sanctuary Cats
  • FAQs
  • Contact Us
  • Shop
  • Videos
  • Donate
No Result
View All Result
  • Get Involved
  • Cub Facts
  • The Sanctuary Cats
  • FAQs
  • Contact Us
  • Shop
  • Videos
  • Donate
No Result
View All Result
Big Cat Rescue
No Result
View All Result
Home News World

Birmingham Zoo Has 5 lion cubs

Carole by BCR
September 4, 2011
in News World
0 0
0
0
SHARES
186
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare via Email

Birmingham Zoo Has 5 lion cubs

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The Birmingham Zoo’s new royal family is almost ready to meet its subjects.

The zoo’s five newborn lions will join their parents on exhibition in the predator hall Labor Day weekend. In keeping with the lion’s legendary status as “king of the beasts,” events that weekend will have a “royal” flavor. Zoo officials plan a “red carpet” treatment for the animals and their visitors, complete with crowns for kids, face painting and information on lion conservation.

Part of the festivities will be a contest to name a 3-month-old male lion who weighs about 24 pounds. Visitors to the zoo can get a look at the lion and suggest names through the weekend in a ballot box, with a winner announced Sept. 12.

The other lions are the females — 21-pound Lily, 19-pound Asha and 21-pound Kimba — and the 21-pound male, Vulcan. They were born May 25 to their mother Akili, and Kwanzaa, the zoo’s male lion. Lion litters typically range from a single cub to four, but two is the norm. Zoo officials are working to see if the five-cub litter is the largest in an American zoo.

Male lions can grow to between 400 to 500 pounds, while females can reach 300 pounds. Keepers usually differentiate between the animals by recognizing size or personality, but both can change rapidly with young animals.

So how do keepers tell the five apart? Mammal Curator Marcia Riedmiller said there are several ways. Each cub has a microchip with identifying information placed beneath the skin between their shoulder blades. The chip is similar to those used by dog owners to keep up with their pets and can be scanned to identify them. The keepers also shave the base of Asha’s tail and the middle of Kimba’s tail as a way of telling them apart. Lily has a lighter shade of fur.

At 12 weeks of age, the cubs are still “toddlers” by lion standards, not quite coordinated and prone to occasionally falling. They have short attention spans and tend to stick close to their mother, who remains very protective.

Dealing with five new children can be a chore for any first-time mother, let alone the father. Riedmiller said the cubs spend time jumping on Akili, pulling her tail and biting her.

“She tolerates it,” she said. “When they do that to their father, he’s not too sure.” Kwanzaa may not be used to a big family yet, since he was an only child, she said.

The cubs are also playful, as they will sneak up on each other and pounce. Riedmiller said this behavior is actually the young lions learning to stalk.

“In the wild, they would be learning to compete for food,” she said.

The lions will join the exhibit beginning Friday, Sept. 2. The zoo will be open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday. Saturday through Monday will be the last of the zoo’s extended weekend hours, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/6e8f8fc72b2a4dbdbf3388678b1cdbd4/AL–Young-Lions/

Tags: cubslions
Previous Post

Philadelphia Zoo to remove 2 tigers from ZooMontana

Next Post

Four Tiger Cubs Born During Rescue

Next Post

Four Tiger Cubs Born During Rescue

Leave a Reply

  • Default Comments (0)
  • Facebook Comments

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Help Feed Big Cats

One of the best ways to help is through general donations that can be used however it is most needed at the time.To make a general donation just click the Donate Now button below.  This is the best way to give as it has the lowest credit card processing fees and is immediate help for the cats.

Give to Big Cat Rescue

If you prefer to donate via Pay Pal, please use this link: Pay Pal

Recent Articles

  • Summer Bobcat LIVE! June 26, 2022
  • Cat VS Dog…Fennel? June 22, 2022
  • Black Leopard Bath time! June 22, 2022

Save Big Cats

Donate to Big Cat Rescue

Sanctuary Cats

  • Jaguars
  • Leopards
  • Lions
  • Tigers
  • Bobcats
  • Canada Lynx
  • Cougars
  • Ocelots
  • Savannah Cats
  • Servals

More from Big Cats

  • Big Cat Rescue is Live 24/7 on Webcams
  • Rescue Missions
  • About Big Cat Rescue
  • Big Cat Rescue News
  • Reviews
  • Our Recent Work
  • Sanctuary FAQs
  • Big Cat TV
Summer Bobcat LIVE!

Summer Bobcat LIVE!

June 26, 2022
Cat VS Dog…Fennel?

Cat VS Dog…Fennel?

June 22, 2022
Black Leopard Bath time!

Black Leopard Bath time!

June 22, 2022
  • Donate Now
  • Volunteer
  • Contact Us

© Copyright 2021 BigCatRescue.Org. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • 2018 Appeal
  • About BCR
  • About our Cookies
  • Account
  • BCR in the Media
  • Big Cat NFTS
  • Big Cat Rescue Caring for Cats and Ending the Trade
  • Big Cat Rescuers
  • Big Cat Times
  • Blog
  • Board of Directors
  • Browse Submissions
  • Connections
  • Contact Us
  • Cookie Policy
  • Credentials
  • Do Not Sell My Personal Information
  • Donate Crypto
  • Embed Link
  • Followers
  • Following
  • GET THE REAL TRUTH ABOUT CUB PETTING
  • Global Big Cat News
  • Intern Program
  • Join Us
    • Registration
  • Kids
  • Latest from Big Cat Rescue
  • Licensing
  • Login
  • Login
  • Logout
  • Logout
  • Malaya Bobcat
  • Map
  • Map of Big Cat Owners
  • Member Directory
  • Members
  • My Profile
    • Edit Profile
  • Netflix
  • News about Big Cats
  • News Gallery
  • News@BCR
  • Our Live Feeds
  • Password Reset
  • PressRoom
  • Privacy Policy
  • Register
  • Register
  • Register
    • Edit Your Profile
    • Update Billing Card
    • Welcome
    • Your Membership
  • Rescues
  • Search result
  • Series Archive – Default header
  • Shop
  • SnowLeopard
  • Social Stream
  • Staff
  • Submission Confirmed
  • Teachers
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Terms of Use
  • User
  • USFWS
  • Vets
  • Videos archive
  • Get Involved
    • Automatic
    • Sponsorships
    • Volunteer
      • AdvoCats
      • Click to Feed
      • Intern
    • Legacy
    • Roar! Speak Out for Big Cats
    • Ink
  • Finances
  • How We Started
  • Abuse Issues
    • Issues
      • Exhibitions
      • Private Ownership of Big Cats
      • Zoos
      • White Tigers
      • Circus
      • Fur
      • Trophy Hunting
      • Canned Hunting
      • Why Regulations Don’t Work
  • Our Evolution
  • Photos & Facts
  • Videos
  • Our Volunteers
  • Your Privacy
  • Donate
  • Site Map
  • Field Trips

© Copyright 2021 BigCatRescue.Org. All Rights Reserved.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist