Woodland Park Zoo Blog

Posted by: Rebecca Whitham, Communications Lion cubs at three weeks old. Photo by Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo. Lion momma Adia continues to do a great job behind the scenes caring for her four little cubs who turn three weeks old this Thursday. Adia is a conscientious groomer, which is a lot of work with four kitties on your hands (err, paws). The cubs are two weeks old in this video . Video by Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo. Later this week we’ll attempt the first veterinary check-up on the cubs to get a better assessment of their overall health and growth progress. Three weeks old. Photo by Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo. Keepers have been giving Adia the option to shift into her outdoor exhibit and away from the cubs for a few minutes a day, which helps to normalize the routine for her. That way when it is time for the vet check-up, Adia will be comfortable with shifting outside, allowing us brief access to the cubs for a lightning fast exam. Cub pile! Photo by

Posted by: Gigi Allianic, Communications Adia with cubs at two days old. Photo by zookeeper Pam Cox/Woodland Park Zoo. Born a week ago , the zoo’s four lion cubs continue to grow and are showing positive signs of good health. Three-year-old mother Adia and her cubs are together in an off-view maternity den where the family can bond in a quieter environment. We have been monitoring the litter via an internal web cam and we’re very pleased with Adia’s maternal care and protectiveness. As a first-time mother, she’s providing attentive care the way a good mother lion naturally does. All four cubs appear to be healthy and their eyes have opened. As far as we can tell, each cub is nursing and demonstrating increased mobility. Our intent is to leave mom alone as much as possible without intervening. As part of our exemplary neonatal care program, we will conduct periodic exams. The earliest target date for their first checkup is next week. The cubs will go out for public viewi

Posted by: Gigi Allianic and Rebecca Whitham, Communications Good things happen to those who wait, and we’ve been awaiting this good thing for 20 years—the birth of lions at Woodland Park Zoo! Our 3-year-old South African lion Adia gave birth last night to four cubs following a gestation period of 109 days. This is the first litter for mom Adia and 13-year-old father Hubert, and it’s also the first litter born at the zoo since 1991. Right now the cubs are with mom in an off-view maternity den where the new family can bond in a hushed, comfortable environment. Our expert keepers and veterinarian staff are closely monitoring the litter via an internal web cam to ensure Adia is providing excellent maternal care and the cubs are properly nursing. The first 48 to 72 hours after a birth are critical, particularly among mammals. Adia is a first-time mother so naturally there is concern, but we are cautiously optimistic she will instinctively provide attentive materna