Cuteness alert: There’s two new lion cubs at Sedgwick County Zoo
Two lion cubs born three weeks ago at the Sedgwick County Zoo are healthy, but it is still too soon to know if they are boys or girls.
“We waited three weeks because we wanted to make sure they are going to survive,” said Mike Quick, curator of mammals at the zoo. “They are gaining weight and moving around. We thought we’d be able to determine their sex but we were unable.”
The mother is named Patty and she’s a first time mom at age 2. The dad is Michael and he’s 9.
It’s not the first time lion cubs have been born at the zoo, Quick said.
It will be at least three or four months before the public can see the pair in the outdoor exhibit. For now, the cubs are off exhibit. But live video will be streamed from the lion’s den to monitor in Munabi’s hut in the Pride of the Plains exhibit. Visitors can view the cubs that way over the next few weeks.
Quick said the cubs have their eyes open and are starting to move around the den. They are still too young to venture outdoors, in part because of the cooler temperatures and because the outdoor exhibit has water.
The zoo is a participant in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Survival Plan and, last year, it was recommended that Patty was ready to be bred.
The next step for the lion family is to introduce the dad, Michael.
“Lions are the only male cats we can do that with,” Quick said. “Male leopards don’t interact. Tigers, cougars or leopards don’t either. Lions are the only ones that the males will stay around the pride and be around. The females do all the work but the males hang around and come in and out.”
The Pride of the Plains exhibit at the zoo features lions, warthogs, meerkats and African hunting dogs. The exhibit opened in 2000.
Beccy Tanner: 316-268-6336, @beccytanner
This story was originally published November 16, 2017 at 4:59 PM with the headline "Cuteness alert: There’s two new lion cubs at Sedgwick County Zoo."