Bhubaneswar: Odisha’s Nandankanan Zoological Park on Thursday welcomed five lion cubs who were born in the zoo under complete supervision of authorities.
Providing a shot in the arm to the ongoing efforts of the zoo authorities to increase the population of these big cats, the five cubs were born to lioness ‘Bijli’.
According to sources, the cubs and their mother were being closely monitored by the zoo authorities through CCTV cameras. Bijli could be seen tending to her newborn cubs. As of now, the genders of the newborn cubs were not confirmed immediately.
She mated with Nandankanan Zoo’s lion Samrat and bore his offspring. This is her fourth time rearing cubs and being a mother.
The nine-year-old lioness, Bijli, was brought to the Nandankanan Zoo earlier in the year 2020 from Indore Zoo.
Bijli’s previous litter also consisted of five cubs that were born in 2022. Her role as a mother is considered crucial to the ongoing efforts to enhance the lion population in the zoo.
