Lion Cub Birth Celebration Turns Tragic

Just two days ago, celebrations were underway at Smithsonian's National Zoo to mark the birth of an infant lion, the first such birth at the zoo in more than 20 years. Today the festivities abruptly turned to mourning, as the zoo this morning announced that the young male cub has died.

This week, lion keepers had been monitoring the cub and its mother, 6-year-old Nababiep, using a hidden video camera. When they noticed that the cub was not responding to Nababiep, the mother was moved outdoors to permit a veterinary examination of her offspring. At that point, its death was confirmed.

(Nababiep; Credit for images: Mehgan Murphy, Smithsonian's National Zoo)

“Losing this lion cub is devastating for all of us at the National Zoo,” said Dennis Kelly, the zoo's director. “I believe this was a one-in-a-million fluke. Unfortunately, this is the downside to the ‘cycle of life.’ But, the animal care team and Zoo staff are consummate professionals, and I know they’ve learned a tremendous amount from creating the pride, breeding the lions and getting Nababiep through her first birth. We mourn this loss yet keep our focus on the best care for the lion pride.”

Pathologists performed a necropsy and discovered a straw awn—the pointed tip on a blade of straw—in the cub's lungs. This obstruction led to pneumonia, the cause of the cub's death. Zoos commonly use straw bedding for animals.

The cub appeared to be in good health when it was born at around 4 a.m. on May 18. Shortly thereafter, it was mobile and nursing.

The cub was the first for Nababiep, who has since rejoined her sister, Shera, in the outdoor lion exhibit at the zoo. Lion social structure in the wild typically consists of a single male along with females and their offspring. Together they form a pride, with both females and males actively hunting. This tight social structure is rare among large cats, since most are solitary animals. 

Wild lions in Africa have experienced population declines due to hunting, disease and habitat loss. They are considered a vulnerable species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, so any lion birth is cause for celebration.

Keepers at the National Zoo remain hopeful that either of the females might soon mate again with the zoo's male lion, Luke. Based on this footage, taken recently by some visitors, Luke is more than ready to try again.

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