Tagged: lions

Two newborn lion cubs are being raised by staff at the Saint Louis Zoo more than a month after their birth, but two other cubs in the litter have died.

The African lion cubs were born Feb. 14 to the 6-year-old lioness Cabara. The zoo said Tuesday that two did not survive because Cabara couldn't produce enough milk to feed them. Zoo officials say it is not uncommon for lion mothers in the wild to rear fewer than 50 percent of the cubs born in a litter.

A new source of pride and joy has arrived to join her own pride at the St. Louis Zoo. An African lion cub was born on July 17 at the Zoo, along with another female cub which was, unfortunately, stillborn.

The female cub, named Imani, which means "faith" in Swahili, became dehydrated several days after birth, and is now being hand-fed, with success, at the Zoo's veterinary hospital.