The Assam State Zoo has announced a significant milestone in its conservation efforts with the birth of four healthy Asiatic lion cubs. The cubs, born to lioness Kesari on 24th July, are reportedly in good health and are being vigilantly cared for by the zoo’s veterinary team.
The birth of the cubs was announced on World Lion Day, a move that the state’s environment minister, Chandra Mohan Patowary, described as a “significant step in species conservation.” The minister highlighted the importance of captive breeding programs in protecting the Asiatic lion, which is listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, and whose last remaining wild population is in Gujarat.
This is the second time Kesari, who was brought to Guwahati from Gujarat’s Junagarh Zoo, has given birth, with her first litter of two female cubs born in February 2024. This success not only increases the zoo’s animal count but also helps to maintain a healthy and genetically diverse population, providing a crucial safety net for the species.
