Lion Camp Update
Posted at 2:19 pm October 25, 2006 by Marcia Redding
Things are always changing at Lion Camp at the Wild Animal Park! Here’s the latest news on our lion pride:
Abena and Bakari, Oshana’s cubs, continue to grow and thrive. They each weigh around 50 pounds (23 kilograms), and eat approximately 3.5 pounds (1.6 kilograms) of meat per day. They also receive bones and thawed rabbits along with the adult lions; these are red letter days for everyone! Rabbits and bones are real treats. They have begun learning some simple behaviors and are doing very well. They spend all day on exhibit with Oshana and Izu. The whole family comes inside the house at night and Izu is separated from Oshana and the cubs so he can have his meal in peace. (See Marcia’s blog, Lion Cubs Meet Dad.)
Mina’s litter of three, now four months old, are also doing well (see Marcia’s blog, Youngest Lions Have 1st Exam). Kamau, the biggest male, weighs 32 pounds (15 kilograms); Zenda, the middle boy, weighs 28 pounds (13 kilograms), and sister Mandisa is a petite 24 pounds (11 kilograms). They are being introduced to their father while he is in the house overnight and has access to the introduction screen. As with Abena and Bakari, Izu has been very gentle and interested in his cubs. They immediately took to him, showing no fear of their 400-pound (181-kilogram) father. He has attempted to groom them through the wire and lies against the intro panel and lets the cubs play with his mane and tail. In the near future, Mina’s litter will be allowed on exhibit and Izu will probably share his time between both families. Having all eight lions together on exhibit is our ultimate goal; the next step is to allow Mina and Oshana and their litters time to become aquainted through the intro door. It will depend on how this goes whether or not the whole pride will be on exhibit together.
I will post updates as the situation changes. With two litters of growing cubs, there is never a dull moment at Lion Camp!
Marcia Redding is a senior mammal keeper at the Wild Animal Park.
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October 25th, 2006 at 2:35 pm
Thanks Marcia! Glad to hear both prides are doing well. Hopefully they will get along beautifully and Izu can preside over his large pride with great pride.
Are you still having direct contact with Mina’s cubs? Do you have to move to protected contact once they are in the exhibit with their father and ultimately with Oshana and her cubs? Does the human scent on them (from holding them in your laps for example) have any affect on how the adult lions behave toward them?
Looking forward to some updated photos of Mina and her cubs.
Great picture of Izu and Oshana’s cubs. He is very gentle and patient with them while they explore his body and attempt to ” play” with him. Is Oshana fairly relaxed when he is with them now?
October 25th, 2006 at 2:51 pm
Thank you again, Marcia, for the wonderful update on all of the cubs and how they are doing. I can hardly wait to see all of them out together one day soon. Izu certainly is a great father, he is so patient and tolerant of the cubs. Abena and Bakari are sure growing up and having so much fun, it is amazing how much they have changed and are able to do things like climbing on the rocks now with little effort. Looking forward to more updates and getting to see Kamau, Zenda, and Mandisa soon.
October 25th, 2006 at 3:44 pm
Thanks, Marcia, for another update on the happy pride. I hope to see them all together on the exhibit. Thanks for the pictures as well…I can’t believe how big Oshana’s girls are getting already. I definitely need to get back and see them again. What’s happening with the other pride now that the youngsters have taken over the exhibit with their parents? Is Etosha going to be able to have more cubs or did the Caesarian birth last time make it too dangerous for her?
October 25th, 2006 at 5:13 pm
Thanks for yet another wonderful update Marcia…they’re even more special to those of us who currently can’t visit in person! It’s so great to hear how well the cubs are doing. What great mommies Oshana and Mina are…and Izu certainly gets a gold star for being such an awesome daddy! I love hearing how gentle and patient he is with his babies. Can’t wait for the next update!
October 25th, 2006 at 5:20 pm
Thank you, Marcia, for the update on the lion cubs and the pride. It’s great to hear that Izu is a gentle and loving father to the cubs, and I hope too that cubs of Mina will get introduced to Izu soon.
October 26th, 2006 at 6:28 am
Marcia it is so good to see that the cubs are thriving and that the introductions are going well. I believe that all of this is a result of the patient loving care that they are given. hope to see more photos soon. keep up the great work, it’s really paying off.
October 26th, 2006 at 11:11 am
Marcia, can you tell us more about Etosha’s current pregnancy. I read that she is pregnant again which is very exciting. Do you have to take any special precautions with her delivery because of her Caesarian birth last time?
October 26th, 2006 at 9:09 pm
Oh my, I wanted to scream with sheer joy at what I had just read. Izu meets his entire family (not at once) as you have stated in your blog, but Mina’s cubs as well! That just has to tickle the keepers pink!! I’m so glad that so far everyone gets along, and all is going well. Congratulations, I can’t say it enough really. That is just great!! I would love to be there when (hopefully) the entire pride gets to reunite as well, a pride !! =)
October 27th, 2006 at 2:46 pm
I love it!! What a great story and photo. I vote Izu ” Daddy of the Year.” Thanks for the update – it really is a wonderful thing you all do at the WAP.
November 2nd, 2006 at 12:35 pm
My son works at the Wild Animal Park and is always keeping me updated on the goings on. He was so excited about the new births at the Lion exhibit and so was I. It is so wonderful what the Society is doing to keep the endangered species from becoming extinct. My mother and I love to visit and follow the new lion cubs’ adventures. We’ll be anxious to see the triplets on exhibit. Keep up the good work!!!!