8.28.08
… and Dad makes a pride
African lions make their first family debut  

Lions are the world’s only social big cats, and Members and guests finally have a chance to see Atlanta’s only pride. On Wednesday, August 27, a morning lull in a week sopping in rain brought a break in the clouds, but no break for Kiki. The devoted mother trailed her young attentively as the cubs bounded into their habitat, only too pleased to muddy their oversized paws. But this time, there was a fascinating new fixture in the yard: Dad.

When Kamau joined his family outside for the first time, a warning or two from Kiki left some doubt as to who was the real head of the pride. A couple of harmless but assertive swats from his mate had the henpecked King of Beasts in retreat, so he watched the cubs play from an interested distance. Kamau, who has so far reacted extremely tolerantly and gently to having his mane and tail mauled by his offspring during behind-the-scenes introductions, will have more chances to play with the cubs once their protective first-time mother relaxes the rules on outdoor family fun.

Please, Mom, can Dad come out and play? Don’t miss a milestone a minute! 

watch the cubs get out and about

7.31.08
African lion cubs enjoy first outdoor excursion

Imagine that you’ve spent your last few weeks playing or sleeping inside (no complaints there – water bowls, sticks, your mother’s well-gnawed bone and your brother’s tail are objects of endless fascination), and suddenly, someone opens the door at the end of the long walkway and there before you is the wide, grassy, sun-dappled world of the great outdoors. Curiosity killed no cats on Tuesday, July 29, when staff offered the lion cubs their first access to their habitat, but it did create some extra work for Kiki.

The cubs needed no urging, much to the apparent consternation of the African Plains’ model mama, who tried with little success to transport and re-transport her offspring back inside. Playtime was fleeting; the three wore themselves out quickly, finally deciding after less than an hour that it was time for a nap with mom in the trusted interior. Since then, staff has begun allowing the cubs the option to go outside, with similar results: the little ones barrel forth; they explore; they play; they tire; they retreat.

Be patient, and don’t trample Zoo guests on your way to see the cubs’ morning excursions. They are babies, after all, and that unbridled energy soars and ebbs. Word to the wise for now: see that you happen to be at the lion viewing area around 9:30 a.m. when they get the day’s first outdoor playdate.

7.10.08
New arrivals set to pounce on Atlanta hearts later this summer

	watch video of one of the newborn lion cubs

Six weeks ago, Zoo Atlanta’s new African lion cubs weighed less than 5 pounds, communicating with mewling, kitten-like squawks and sensed little of the outside world from the darkness behind their tightly closed eyelids. Had they been insects, one might have called them larvae.

Now walking, teething, and daily focusing more clearly on their surroundings, Kiki’s month-old litter leaves little doubt that those vague newborn days are over. As excitement builds over the first lion cubs to debut in Atlanta since 1997, Zoo staff hopes that later this summer, the tiny cats will be ready for their biggest milestone yet – their entrance to their African Plains habitat, and the enchantment of Members and guests.

“The cubs are doing wonderfully, learning to walk fairly steadily and showing signs of getting their first teeth,” says Dr. Megan Wilson, Assistant Curator of Carnivores. “They’re really starting to look like living, breathing little lions.” And, while it’s not a scientific or developmental comment on the cubs’ progress, Wilson adds, “they’re really, really cute.”

The fuzzy, fawn-spotted trio of month-old males has mastered a hesitant, scooting style of walking across their behind-the-scenes patio, and the cubs are now able to climb over objects, but they’re not yet mobile enough to run or efficiently follow their mother from one location to another. According to Wilson, the devoted Kiki is already having difficulty physically transporting her growing offspring from place to place, so their debut date is dependent on their ability to follow her movements in an outdoor setting.

As their mobility and coordination continue to develop in coming days and weeks, the cubs may also begin attempting to join their mother in her indoor den, where they may get their first glimpse of their father, Kamau. Zoo staff recently began housing Kiki in an area adjacent to her mate’s, so that each now has visual and olfactory access to the other. When the cubs begin climbing into Kiki’s den, they too will be able to see and smell the adult male. (Known in the zoo world as a “howdy” setting, this arrangement promotes safe, gradual introduction between animals without permitting physical contact.)

Meanwhile, an elated Animal Management Team continues to stick to the belief that mother knows best. The protective first-time mom doesn’t appreciate being separated from her little ones, and that, according to Wilson, is an excellent sign.

“She’s a lioness, and because she’s such a great mother, there’s no reason to separate her from her cubs,” Wilson says. “She’s doing everything right, behaving exactly as we hoped she would, and we couldn’t be more excited.” 

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