As of: January 26, 2024, 12:56 p.m
By: Johanna Werning
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The Cologne Zoo is happy about rare offspring.
Lioness Gina has had four cubs.
But no one can visit – yet.
Cologne – A special offspring has been born in the Cologne Zoo.
Asiatic lioness Gina gave birth to four little lion cubs during the night and morning of January 25th.
“It is the first lion birth at the Cologne Zoo in 20 years,” says the Cologne Zoo happily.
The little one's father is the eight-year-old lion Navin.
For the first time in 20 years: special offspring at Cologne Zoo
The ten-year-old lion mother Gina and the four cubs are doing well, the Cologne zoo continues.
However, visitors to the Cologne Zoo cannot yet see the four bundles of joy.
“Mother Gina will remain alone and in complete peace with her offspring in the whelping cave until further notice,” explains the zoo.
Even the animal keepers have not yet seen the babies and are currently keeping their distance “so as not to disrupt the development of mother-child relationships.”
The same goes for father Navin.
As is usual in the wild, he currently has no contact with the young animals, according to the zoo.
Gina keeps him at a distance and he uses the outdoor area of the Cologne lion enclosure.
A camera shot of lioness Gina and her offspring © Dr.
A. Sliwa/Cologne Zoo
For this reason, the gender of the young animals could not be determined.
So far there are only images from a surveillance camera.
But: Gina “has filled the role of mother very well so far.” This is her first litter.
Most recently, the elephant girl Sarinya took the hearts of visitors by storm.
She was born in summer 2023.
Offspring at Cologne Zoo: Asiatic lions are highly endangered - only 600 animals left
The lion's offspring will only be officially presented in two to three months.
“The exact date has not yet been set and depends on further developments.
Lion cubs need a lot of rest in the early days,” it continues.
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Asiatic lions |
|
|---|---|
Scientific name: |
Panthera leo persica |
Conservation status: |
Endangered (Stable) |
Type: |
Lion (Panthera leo) |
Subordination: |
Cats (Feliformia) |
The Cologne Zoo wants to be on the safe side, after all the lion birth is not only something special in the Cologne Zoo (Cologne-Nippes district).
Lions are now listed as “vulnerable” as a species on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.
The last of the once widespread Asiatic lions remain in India's Gir National Park.
At times there were only between 20 and 50 animals left.
But thanks to a successful breeding program, there are now around 600 lions living in the wild again.
(jw)