Zoo Knoxville Announces the Birth of Endangered African Lion Cub
Zoo Knoxville/Facebook
Zoo Knoxville is adding a new face to its lion pride
On Tuesday, the Tennessee Zoo announced on Facebook that Amara the endangered African lion gave birth to a healthy female cub on June 16. The cub is the third offspring of Amara and her mate Upepo.
Zoo Knoxville shared that the newborn lion, who has not yet been named, is "healthy and thriving." Amara is being treated following the birth due to complications she experienced during her delivery.
The zoo added on Facebook that Amara still showed signs of labor after the cub was born. Zookeepers performed an ultrasound on the lioness and discovered she had a stillborn cub stuck in her birth canal.
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Zoo Knoxville/Facebook Zuri following her birth on June 16
"Veterinarians from UTCVM-University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine quickly performed emergency surgery. Although the surgery was successful, Amara was slow to rebound afterward, and further tests diagnosed acute renal insufficiency," Zoo Knoxville wrote on social media.
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"Amara is currently being treated with medication and showing improvement. Her care team is cautiously optimistic that they can continue to manage the condition with oral medications, fluid therapy, and voluntary care," the facility added.
Zoo Knoxville/Facebook
The zoo ended its announcement on a positive note, letting followers know that Amara was "bright, acting more like her usual self, and caring appropriately for her cub" after her latest check-in.
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Zoo Knoxville is home to three African lions — male Upepo and females Zarina and Amara. The zoo works in collaboration with other zoos across the country accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) as part of the African Lion Species Survival Plan (SSP) to protect the population of lions in the Western Hemisphere.
