LAHORE: An African lioness who gave birth to three cubs at the Lahore Zoo on May 18, has abandoned the newborns, who are being reared by the zoo staff and vets and are said to be stable now.

It has become more or less a common phenomena at the zoo that lionesses after giving birth abandon their cubs.

The wildlife experts believe the big cats could develop such behaviour owing to a host of reasons, including the touching of the cubs by a human. However, the zoo officials claimed that cubs and mother were kept in complete isolation and there was no question of touching the newborns by any human.

They said all the cubs were now quite stable, except one who was having stomach issue.

Zoo Deputy Director Ms Kiran Saleem, said the cubs were stable but they still had to go through the teething stage. The zoo vets, she said, were attending the cubs round the clock and minutely observing their progress.

With the addition of these three cubs, the total strength of the zoo pride has increased to 25 members.

Published in Dawn, June 14th, 2021