Edinburgh Zoo welcomes first Asiatic lion cubs in seven years
Two unnamed Asiatic lion cubs were born at Edinburgh Zoo on October 11, the first such births there since 2019.
Edinburgh Zoo announced the birth of two unnamed Asiatic lion cubs on October 11, marking the first successful breeding of the endangered species at the facility since 2019. The parents are Jayendra “Jay”, a 15-year-old male, and Bindee, a 10-year-old female, whose pregnancy was detected through increased abdominal size and altered behavior such as pacing and den changes. Keepers watched the delivery via live cameras in the enclosure.
Following the births, Bindee and the cubs have been placed out of visitor sight while the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland tracks their development. The zoo highlighted the rarity of the event, noting that only roughly 350 Asiatic lions survive in the wild, all located in India’s Gir Forest National Park. RZSS animal team leader Alison MacLean expressed pride in the breeding success and described the mother’s bonding with the cubs as “beautiful”.
Why it matters
The births boost conservation hopes for the critically endangered Asiatic lion, whose wild population is under 350.
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