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Bottles Give a Boost to Zoo Miami’s Lion Cub

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A male Lion cub born December 15 at Florida’s Zoo Miami is getting extra care from zoo keepers after battling several health challenges in his short life.

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Photo Credit:  Zoo Miami
The only cub born to first-time mother Asha, he remains in stable condition and zoo officials are guarded but hopeful about his chances for survival. The cub has already overcome dehydration and a bacterial infection. Now, keepers are concerned that Asha may not be producing enough milk for her cub, so they provide supplemental bottle feedings three times a day.

Because they want the cub to bond with his mother, keepers offer the bottles through a barrier, allowing him to remain with Asha. Fortunately, Asha accepts the cub after each feeding, an important factor in the cub’s socialization. The staff observes Asha and her cub with a closed circuit camera and reports that Asha is an attentive mother, but the cub could still face challenges in the next several months.

See more photos of the cub below the fold.

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9 responses to “Bottles Give a Boost to Zoo Miami’s Lion Cub”

  1. Laura Avatar
    Laura

    Sure hope the little guy makes it.

    Reply
  2. dee Avatar
    dee

    Will send up prayers for this little one so adorable

    Reply
  3. Lynn Avatar
    Lynn

    I have very mixed feelings about this handsome cub. In the wild, he might have died as part of natural selection. If he is part of a species survival plan, is it a good thing to save him and perhaps have him pass on potentially defective genes? If he is part of a program to return animals to the wild, it is best to return only the genetically fittest. In an environment of such limited resources, should we spend time and money trying to save a cub that may die anyway? I, too, will be praying for this cute cub sticking his tongue out at the camera.

    Reply
  4. Chris Avatar
    Chris

    The idea that the cub possesses defective genes is purely speculation at this point. While the events that lead to his initial dehydration and bacterial infection aren’t necessarily clear, the complications in his health are more likely environmentally than genetically driven. Infants are born with no immune system of their own. It is the colostrum produced of the mother’s milk within the first day that contains the necessary immune factors to bolster the infant’s growing immune system. First time mother’s don’t always produce milk well the first time, so that might have lead to him not getting enough colostrum, then having a weak immune system and dehydration (which makes them weaker) that made him weak enough to succumb to the bacterial infection. Still speculation, but there is also the factor to consider that species that by majority produce multiple offspring, when producing only one often suffer from reduced milk production, especially in first time mothers who may produce smaller litters to begin with.
    All around, I wouldn’t lay the blame on poor genetics, and if we make stiff guidelines for what is assumed to be the best kind of genes, we risk injuring the genetic diversity of the species. When genetic diversity is the means by which a species adapts to its ever-changing environment. What we might think is a useless genetic trait, could become invaluable to the species survival with even minimal changes in the environment.

    Reply
  5. Cynthia Avatar
    Cynthia

    Yeah, prayers and positive thought for this precious little guy.

    Reply
  6. Hilary Minor Avatar
    Hilary Minor

    I’m with you 100%. You simply cannot equate the fate of a cub born in a Zoo with one born in the wild. The Zoo has a duty of care towards the animals it keeps and it would have been amounting to criminal neglect to watch this cub weaken and die because of groundless speculation about defective genes. I want this baby all for my very own, so look after it for me . . . . 🙂

    Reply
  7. Mo Avatar
    Mo

    Hope he does well.

    Reply
  8. sharon lavery's Kindergarten Class Avatar
    sharon lavery’s Kindergarten Class

    He is so cute. He is adorable.I hope he becomes a beast. I want him to be in a zoo. I hope you grow more. He is so furry and nice. He is so cute I would like to have him for a pet. I hope he grow up to be smart. I hope he grows big.I hope he has a good life.

    Reply
  9. mrs.sacksteder Avatar
    mrs.sacksteder

    aww so cute whats in the bottel but still vary cute

    Reply

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