We all need a dose of cuteness in our lives every now and then, and some adorable new additions at Werribee Open Range Zoo have got us covered. A bouncing bundle of lion cubs triplets are finally ready to meet their adoring fans, as they've grown from tiny fluffy babies to bigger but still just as adorable cubs.
The trio were born on June 4 to 11-year-old mother Nilo and five-year-old pride male Sheru. Now, 10 weeks later, we can finally see the adorable cubs in real life and coo over their cuteness. The furry threesome are the first of this threatened species to be born at the zoo in almost six years as part of an Australasian conservation and breeding program. African lions are officially listed as vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List, and their population has dropped to about 39,000 in the wild. The species is facing threats including human-wildlife conflict, poaching and habitat destruction.
The zoo has shared their names with the public, which were selected via an online poll, with Mwezi, Kianga and Jango chosen as the favourites for the triplets. And the names also have very sweet meanings behind them too, according to Werribee Open Range Zoo keeper Ben Gulli. “The name Mwezi – meaning moon in Swahili – has been given to one of the male cubs because the litter was born during the evening of a full moon,” says Mr Gulli. “The name Kianga – meaning sunshine in Swahili – has been given to the female cub because she’s very bright and picks things up really quickly. The name Jango – meaning brave in Xhosa – has been given to the second male cub because he’s extremely confident in exploring on his own.”
To get to meet the cubs, visit the zoo and catch them as they venture out of their cosy den for one hour per day only (as they're babies they tire out pretty quick, aww!) The time they spend roaming will increase over the coming weeks and months and Zoos Victoria will keep us updated on all things cub related via the Instagram account. Plus, if you’re keen to experience some real-life Lion King action, you can head to the Werribee zoo’s African River Trail.