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Lions Celebrate Their First Birthdays at the Smithsonian's National Zoo

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Lions Celebrate Their First Birthdays at the Smithsonian's National Zoo
animal pound
Image by Smithsonian's National Zoo
Photo Credit: Mehgan Murphy, Smithsonian’s National Zoo

On Sept. 16, the Smithsonian’s National Zoo’s seven lion cubs celebrated their birthdays at the Great Cats Exhibit.

Keepers created seven gift boxes (one for each cub) that were gift-wrapped with approved paper products and held together with a “paste” made of flower and water. Inside each box was an individual-sized frozen treat made of ice (water), shaved beef and a piece of oxtail.

The Zoo’s Nutrition department created a bloodcicle cake in the shape of the number “1.” The cake weighed about 50 pounds, and was composed of ice (water), two whole cow femurs cut in half, 5 pounds of shaved beef and a half-gallon of cow blood.

The Zoo’s seven lion cubs were born to two mothers. All seven cubs were sired by Luke. Shera gave birth on Aug. 31, 2010 to four cubs: John, Lelie, Fahari and Zuri. Nababiep gave birth on Sept. 22, 2010 to three cubs: Baruti, Aslan and Lusaka.

The Zoo’s lion cubs are genetically valuable in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan for African lions. An SSP matches individual animals across the country for breeding in order to maintain a healthy, genetically diverse and self-sustaining population. They are the first surviving cubs born at the Zoo in 22 years.

Luke, Naba and Shera came to the National Zoo in 2006 from South Africa specifically for the purpose of breeding and introducing new genes into the existing U.S. captive population.


Lions Celebrate Their First Birthdays at the Smithsonian's National Zoo
animal pound
Image by Smithsonian's National Zoo
Photo Credit: Mehgan Murphy, Smithsonian’s National Zoo

On Sept. 16, the Smithsonian’s National Zoo’s seven lion cubs celebrated their birthdays at the Great Cats Exhibit.

Keepers created seven gift boxes (one for each cub) that were gift-wrapped with approved paper products and held together with a “paste” made of flower and water. Inside each box was an individual-sized frozen treat made of ice (water), shaved beef and a piece of oxtail.

The Zoo’s Nutrition department created a bloodcicle cake in the shape of the number “1.” The cake weighed about 50 pounds, and was composed of ice (water), two whole cow femurs cut in half, 5 pounds of shaved beef and a half-gallon of cow blood.

The Zoo’s seven lion cubs were born to two mothers. All seven cubs were sired by Luke. Shera gave birth on Aug. 31, 2010 to four cubs: John, Lelie, Fahari and Zuri. Nababiep gave birth on Sept. 22, 2010 to three cubs: Baruti, Aslan and Lusaka.

The Zoo’s lion cubs are genetically valuable in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan for African lions. An SSP matches individual animals across the country for breeding in order to maintain a healthy, genetically diverse and self-sustaining population. They are the first surviving cubs born at the Zoo in 22 years.

Luke, Naba and Shera came to the National Zoo in 2006 from South Africa specifically for the purpose of breeding and introducing new genes into the existing U.S. captive population.


Lions Celebrate Their First Birthdays at the Smithsonian's National Zoo
animal pound
Image by Smithsonian's National Zoo
Photo Credit: Mehgan Murphy, Smithsonian’s National Zoo

On Sept. 16, the Smithsonian’s National Zoo’s seven lion cubs celebrated their birthdays at the Great Cats Exhibit.

Keepers created seven gift boxes (one for each cub) that were gift-wrapped with approved paper products and held together with a “paste” made of flower and water. Inside each box was an individual-sized frozen treat made of ice (water), shaved beef and a piece of oxtail.

The Zoo’s Nutrition department created a bloodcicle cake in the shape of the number “1.” The cake weighed about 50 pounds, and was composed of ice (water), two whole cow femurs cut in half, 5 pounds of shaved beef and a half-gallon of cow blood.

The Zoo’s seven lion cubs were born to two mothers. All seven cubs were sired by Luke. Shera gave birth on Aug. 31, 2010 to four cubs: John, Lelie, Fahari and Zuri. Nababiep gave birth on Sept. 22, 2010 to three cubs: Baruti, Aslan and Lusaka.

The Zoo’s lion cubs are genetically valuable in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan for African lions. An SSP matches individual animals across the country for breeding in order to maintain a healthy, genetically diverse and self-sustaining population. They are the first surviving cubs born at the Zoo in 22 years.

Luke, Naba and Shera came to the National Zoo in 2006 from South Africa specifically for the purpose of breeding and introducing new genes into the existing U.S. captive population.

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