White Lion cubs

Not sure how to tell them apart, but they just finished watching father Fintan eat his snacks.

You can really see their manes just starting to come in. Can't wait until they are rocking the mohawk like Fintan did.

Indeed, the manes are clearly visible on some of the cubs more so than others. I never got a chance to ask during my last visit, but I'm wondering if the zoo has decided what the plan with the cubs will be as they get older.

Based on other zoos and how they handle male cubs the zoo must be getting closer to making a decision. Most zoos pull the male cubs along with their father from the females around the year old mark depending on dynamics. Given that Toronto has nine lions in two prides already they probably started to think about moving the boys or at least some of them out once they knew they had males. Female cubs could have stayed on indefinitely. They boys will challenge Fintan and eventually they will have to be separated from him as well. Honestly I would not be surprised if the boys started moving to new homes over the winter.

The real question is where will they go. With white lion prides already located at Parc Safari, Safari Niagara, African Lion Safari, Elmvale Jungle Zoo and Jungle Cat World the question is where in Canada could they go? Some zoos just wont want white lions. No one will want all four boys which means two homes minimum need to be found. Granby just received African lions from Bowmanville. Toronto likely wont want to give their lions to Bowmanville. Calgary has a pride of Africans with young males born to imports so once their lioness goes they will likely be looking to get more Africans. Vancouver has an older pride so they may be an option depending on current space. Edmonton Im unsure of their stock. Assiniboine is converting their lion enclosure for gibbons. St. Felicien doesn't have lions and focuses on cold weather animals. Maybe Cherry Brook, Oaklawn or Magnetic Hill, the first two have lion holdings but current prides. If they aren't going to a CAZA zoo then there is a chance they will go to the US but any AZA zoo would probably be a stretch since white lions are not recommended. That leaves sending them overseas which could be good if they can be sent away in trade for another animal to add to Toronto's genetic stock.

Only time will tell what happens with the boys but that clock has been ticking since birth.