Animal videos are an excellent way to capture the internet’s attention, especially those featuring cute and adorable creatures. Whether it’s a little puppy taking its first steps or a fluffy kitten doing something amusing, these moving images of tiny animals have a special place in the hearts of many. Recently, the Denver Zoo shared a video on September 6, 2019, that showcased a lion cub playing in its enclosure. While the cub was undoubtedly adorable, it was the interaction between the father lion Tobias and his son that stole the spotlight. Tobias, a two-year-old father, crouched down to play with his little cub, and his gentle behavior won the hearts of many who watched the video.
According to Jake Kubié, the communications director, the cub, who was born on July 25, has been spending the past few months bonding with his mother Neliah, father Tobias, and half-sister Kamara behind the scenes in the Predator Ridge at Denver Zoo. Kubié also revealed that the cub will soon be introduced to the public in one of the outdoor habitats. He added that the cub is displaying typical lion cub traits of being playful, curious, and energetic.
The Denver Zoo posts “cubdates” every other day which feature their newest lion cub, who is still unnamed. The zoo is asking for the public’s help to raise funds for lions in captivity and in the wild, by allowing them to pick a name for the cub. Voters can choose between Meru, the name of a Tanzanian mountain, Moremi, named after a game reserve in Botswana, and Tatu, which means “three” in Swahili as the cub is Neliah’s third offspring.
“Everyone is very eager and thrilled to see him when he makes his first public appearance,” Jake said about the public’s reaction to the cute lion cub. “The weekly updates we’ve been posting on our social media channels are met with a lot of ‘Ohhs’ and ‘Ahhs’. We’re doing our best to satisfy everyone’s desire to see the cub while they wait to meet him in person!”
The footage depicts the young cub engaging in playtime with an elder lioness, who is not his mother, but rather his half-sibling, Kamara, aged four. The Denver Zoo’s Instagram page stated that Kamara is an exceptionally caring and loving older sister.
“The Denver Zoo representative emphasized the crucial fact that in the last 25 years, half of African lions have vanished and are facing mounting dangers such as poaching, depletion of their prey, and destruction of their habitats in their natural ranges. He further added that they hope the sight of the lion cub will motivate people to take action and aid in the protection of his wild counterparts and other wildlife globally.”
Denver Zoo has several initiatives to support conservation programs within the zoo, their community, region, and four other countries worldwide. They promote people to donate towards their efforts, and also offer educational programs and accept volunteers. The “Adopt an Animal” program is one of their initiatives that lets people “adopt” one of the 4,300 animals at the Denver Zoo and even receive a plush version of the animal. It’s a great opportunity to support their mission while getting a cute souvenir!
