Dublin Zoo has welcomed the arrival of a new lion cub and they need help in naming her. The cub was born on June 25 to parents Sita and Kumar and she weighs just over 5kgs. The new arrival is part of a pride of five along with her sister Kyna and half-brother Kuno.
Sita came to Dublin from Mulhouse Zoo in France back in 2012 while Kumar came from Rotterdam Zoo in the Netherlands. According to the zoo, the birth of an Asian lion is extremely significant for the international breeding programme as there are less than 350 of them in the world, with the majority of the population living in the Gir Forest in India.
Dublin Zoo team leader Ciaran McMahon said: “We are thrilled with our new arrival. These lions are endangered in the wild and it is important for conservation that zoos maintain a viable population of Asian lions. The female cub is settling in very well.”
People are asked to keep in mind the Asian heritage of the cub when sending in their suggestions. Dublin Zoo are looking for name suggestions from the public from 9am Friday, 28th August. Visit www.DublinZoo.ie to submit your entry.