Lion cub is born at zoo

Sep 19 2008 Chester Chronicle

THIS is the first glimpse of Chester Zoo’s best kept secret.

The tiny Asiatic lion cub was born to mum Asha after a three-and-a-half month pregnancy. However, despite having had a previous litter, this is the first time that Asha has raised her own cub.

And the dedicated mum, who gave birth outside, is being so protective of her new charge that, until this picture was taken, only images from CCTV were giving Asha’s keepers a clue to how mum and her newborn are getting on.

Kevin Buley, head of zoo programmes, revealed that not even the sex of the cub is known yet.

He said: “We are delighted to welcome the second litter in 12 months but what is most pleasing this time is that Asha is quite willing to do all the work and raise her young herself.

“We are monitoring their progress from CCTV cameras inside her den and that gives us enough clues as to how they are getting on.

“Asha does have access to both inside and outside of her enclosure as she goes about raising her cub and she seems very content, happy and understandably protective.

“A few eagle-eyed, lucky visitors may be able to catch a glimpse of mum and cub but it will be pure chance and it will be some weeks before visitors will be able to see them properly.”

Asha’s previous cub, Tejas, was hand-reared by dedicated keeping staff and became an overnight star thanks to the Zoo Days television series.

Carnivore team leader Alan Woodward, who helped to rear Tejas, was visiting him in his new home at Besancon Zoo in France to mark his first birthday when Asha gave birth to her latest cub.