3 lion cubs to be kept in zoo enclosure in Nov, Dec

Kolkata: Three lion cubs will be kept in the enclosure for public viewing at the Alipore Zoological Gardens in the last week of November or first week of December this year.

Six-year-old Shruti, a pure-breed Asiatic lion, brought from Hyderabad Zoo in October 2017, gave birth to three cubs on June 28, 2019.

While the first cub was delivered around 10 am, the second was born at around 10.12 am and third after about 12 more minutes.

"The three cubs are now under observation along with their mother. We have decided to keep them into the enclosure for public viewing at the Alipore Zoological Gardens during the last week of November or may be first week of December this year," said Asis Kumar Samanta, director of Alipore Zoological Gardens.

He reiterated that the cubs are healthy and are now able to eat meat. The diet includes condensed milk (30ml each six times a day), chicken, meat and liver.

"The cubs have become mischievous and playful. They always keep their mother busy," added Samanta.

Last year, a female cub was born to Shruti in August. But unfortunately, the cub died.

Shruti and a 12-year-old lion Viswas were brought from Nehru Zoological Park, Hyderabad, in October, 2017.

Viswas is a pure breed Asiatic lion. The animals were brought in trucks through Odisha and West Midnapore. The other two lions at the zoo are more than 20 years old.

Usually, lion cubs stay with their mothers for about two years before they join the hunting trips of the pride, they are the laziest of the big cats.