French zoo announces birth of rare Asiatic lion cubs

28/02/2014 15:15

French zoo announces birth of rare Asiatic lion cubs

Announcement delayed for almost two months because of concerns that trio would not survive
  • Associated Press in Besancon
  •  
  • theguardian.com, 
Asiatic lion cubs
Asiatic lion Shiva with her three cubs in the Besancon zoo, eastern France. There are only about 300 Asiatic lions in the wild. Photograph: Laurent Cipriani/AP

Three Asiatic lion cubs are making their debut at a zoo in eastern France, raising slim hopes for one of the world's rarest species.

The Besancon zoo held off announcing the cubs' births on 31 December until this week, afraid the two females and a male might not survive. Their mother let a single cub die last year, and the three are being kept from their father until zookeepers are sure he will not hurt them.

There are about 300 Asiatic lions in the wild, all in an Indian reserve, according to the World Wildlife Fund. About the same number are in captivity.

"Lions in captivity will not be reintroduced in nature – or probably not – because they are used to men and might potentially be dangerous," zookeeper Guillaume Limouzin said on Thursday.

 

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