White lion cubs at Australian park named in competition

Cubs named and tamed

ALICE CLARIDGE

February 12, 2010 07:33am

ZOODOO Wildlife Park’s playful white lion cubs have been named Bakari and Kiara in the Mercury’s online competition.

The male cub, Bakari, meaning bold and strong, is now seven months old and weighs about 40kg.

His adopted sister, Kiara, meaning little lioness, is exactly a month younger and weighs about 30kg.

Zoodoo owner Trevor Cuttriss said they were growing rapidly and were consuming about 3kg of meat a day and 2 litres of milk each.

There names were selected from nearly 500 entries, and were chosen for their uniqueness and African backgrounds.

“We have been educating them every day and they are now quite humanised,” Mr Cuttriss said.

“When they first arrived they were quite naughty. They are much more behaved and playful now.

“Kiara is a typical female, a real hunter. You have to have eyes in the back of your head in case she pounces.”

Born in captivity in Africa the cubs have been at Zoodoo at Richmond for nearly a month with two other cubs who will soon go to an interstate zoo.

The cubs will have completed their initial 30-day quarantine tomorrow, and Zoodoo hopes to soon start its “cub encounters”.

Tasmanians will have the chance to get up close and personal with the cubs but it won’t be cheap.

For $150 lion lovers will be allowed a brief visit inside the enclosure to touch and have photos taken with the animals.

Winners of the naming competition will each receive a family pass to Zoodoo, and their names will be placed on a plaque outside the lion enclosure.

http://www.themercury.com.au/article/2010/02/12/127345_tasmania-news.html

————

Learn more about big cats and Big Cat Rescue at http://bigcatrescue.org