Updates From the Zoo's Lion Keepers
May 21
Last evening the National Zoo’s lion cub died. Lion keepers had been closely observing the cub, a male, via camera since his birth Tuesday morning. When keepers noticed the cub was not responding to its mother, they shifted the mother outdoors in order to examine the cub. A veterinary team confirmed his death.
Pathologists performed the necropsy and found a hay awn (the pointed tip on a blade of hay) in the cub’s lungs, which led to pneumonia and was determined to be the cause of death. The use of hay bedding for animals, including great cats, is common throughout zoos. There was only organic material in the lions’ den.
Animal keepers form strong relationships with the animals in our care. The keepers in the Great Cats unit have truly enjoyed the process of building a pride, and we were ecstatic when Naba bred with Luke and got pregnant. The arrival of the cub was one of the most rewarding experiences for us since we started caring for animals. We watched with anticipation for the first few days on the web cam, as Naba developed into quite a good first-time mother. When the cub died, we were devastated. We're most concerned for Naba right now, however. It is difficult, but necessary, to avoid attaching human feelings to Naba's experience with the loss of her first cub.
We are hopeful that she will breed again. Her sister Shera has also bred with Luke, and we expect more opportunities for joy with lion cubs in the future.
“Losing this lion cub is devastating for all of us at the National Zoo,” said Dennis Kelly, the Zoo's director. “I believe this was a one-in-a-million fluke. Unfortunately, this is the downside to the ‘cycle of life.’ But, the animal care team and Zoo staff are consummate professionals, and I know they’ve learned a tremendous amount from creating the pride, breeding the lions and getting Nababiep through her first birth. We mourn this loss yet keep our focus on the best care for the lion pride.”
Nababiep, the mother, has rejoined her sister Shera, and keepers plan to reunite the females with Luke, the male, very soon. Keepers will continue to watch the pride closely as this was the first cub for Nababiep.
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