MOTHER’S PRIDE
Lockdown lion cubs in first public outing
IT’S been tough for many of us looking after the little ones in lockdown.
But Dakota the lioness has taken it in her stride – despite having her paws full with five new arrivals.
The 14-year-old has kept her huge litter – lions usually have just two cubs – firmly in line.
The cubs made their first public outing this week, with all five making sure to keep close to their mother.
The mini-pride, four males and one female, were born in April when their home –
Woburn Safari Park in Bedfordshire – was closed due to coronavirus. The park has now reopened with strict safety precautions in place.
It is the second litter Dakota has had and the yet-to-benamed cubs – fathered by nine-year-old Joco, another member of the now 13-strong pride – are clearly flourishing under an experienced mother.
Woburn’s Craig Lancaster said: ‘It is wonderful to welcome yet another litter of cubs to the park, especially one as large as this one. Dakota’s natural mothering instincts are brilliant.’ The lioness is now being fed extra food to ensure she can produce plenty of milk for her large litter.
Lions are normally fed every four days to mimic the patterns of wild hunting. But Dakota is being fed five days in every seven. The cubs will be weaned when they are around six to eight months old.
At 12 weeks old, they will be introduced to the rest of the pride in their 32-acre drivethrough reserve. The males will stay until they are two, before being released into the wild to start their own prides.