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ZSL London Zoo Asiatic Lions questions

Discussion in 'United Kingdom' started by Marios, 16 Dec 2010.

  1. Marios

    Marios Member

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    I know London Zoo has a breeding pair, Lucifer and Abi and they had cubs a while ago. I recently saw a video on youtube that showed those cubs I guess older and still with their mother and I guess their father is still with them

    The male cub seems ro be growing a mane.
    Anyone knows when these lions will leave the zoo?
    And how old they are?
     
    Last edited by a moderator: 6 Jul 2017
  2. volvox

    volvox Well-Known Member

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    The two cubs, Rubi and Max (he seems to have changed his name, it used to be Gabriel!) were born in June 2009, so that makes them 18 months old now. I don't know what the plans for them are. They were all looking very relaxed together yesterday.
     
  3. BillyT

    BillyT Well-Known Member

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    Gabriel was only a temp name untill they come up with his name. Im sure he will be gone very soon as there have been a few problems and these seem to be on the increase.
     
  4. Paulkarli08

    Paulkarli08 Well-Known Member

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    Even if there are squabbles within the family, there is enough space for one of the lions to be split, by using the spare, smaller enclosure.

    Is Abi back with the others now, not seen any recent pictures of her with the pride for quite some time?
     
  5. Bele

    Bele Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    What happened to the litter of cubs she was reported as giving birth to the end of October ? I might have missed a report on this .
     
  6. BillyT

    BillyT Well-Known Member

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    they didnt make it
     
  7. Marios

    Marios Member

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    So the breeding pair mated again with the older cubs still with them? Is that possible? I read somewhere that "mothers whose cubs survive only begin to breed again after their cubs reach 18 months of age". The older cubs are 18 months old now, which means they must have been just over a year old (13-14 months) when their mother mated again?
     
  8. BillyT

    BillyT Well-Known Member

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    i think the gestation for a lion is 105 days
    and they can breed after 11months of giving birth
    and plans have already been made for the young male to leave
     
    Last edited: 17 Dec 2010
  9. Pertinax

    Pertinax Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    Probably an effect of captivity. Its common in many species in zoos to have reduced birth intervals compared to the wild for various reasons.
     
  10. volvox

    volvox Well-Known Member

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    Perhaps no one told Lucifer he was supposed to wait...?!!
     
  11. Del250

    Del250 Member

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    Hi

    I was at London Zoo today (26 Feb.) and it appears that Maximus the lion cub (who is now around 20 months old!) has now gone. He was there two weeks ago and seemed to be well integrated with the others but today there was no sign of him.

    There was a lion talk in the afternoon and the lions were introduced as a 'pride of 3 lions'.

    Has Max now been moved on? Does anyone know anything more about this?



    Derry
     
  12. ZooLeopard

    ZooLeopard Well-Known Member

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    He moved to Lodz Zoo (Poland) as part of the EEP breeding program. His new mate will be Tycia (born at Lodz in 2003). The current male at Lodz, Subali born at Edinburgh in 2006, is going to join Angelica, (Born at Berlin Tierpark in 2001) at Jerez Zoo, Spain. She has been alone since the death of her previous mate Olle, in the summer of 2010.
     
  13. Indlovu

    Indlovu Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    To add to that I have heard that it is intended for the young female, Rubi, to stay on as the next breeding female as Abi is 12 this year.
     
  14. Nisha

    Nisha Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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  15. Del250

    Del250 Member

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    Hi,

    I haven't looked at the link you posted yet but I went to London Zoo today and I also went around 2 weeks ago.

    On both occasions only Lucifer and his daughter Rubi were on display including during the Lion talk at 3.00 when the keepers give a scatter feed which usually wakes up any sleeping lions! Abi was nowhere to be seen. Also, the enclosure around the back was boarded up and had barriers around it.

    Is it possible that Abi is pregnant again and she has been separated temporarily from the main group?



    Del
     
  16. volvox

    volvox Well-Known Member

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    Nisha, if you look on the zsl website you will find your suspicion has now been confirmed!
     
  17. stulch

    stulch Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    Oh good, I don't have to keep the secret anymore!

    I asked after the talk on Saturday as Abi wasn't to be seen again and although they said you might be able to see her out the back I was suspicious as I hadn't seen her for a while and other people on here hadn't seen her.

    As of Saturday they were yet to have their jabs. I think they are about six weeks old.

    Newborn lion cubs at ZSL London Zoo - News - ZSL London Zoo - ZSL
     
  18. Del250

    Del250 Member

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    Hi,

    I went to London Zoo today (23 October) and was very pleased to see the 2 lion cubs in their den with Abi. It was quite difficult to see them as barriers have been put around the area outside the den and in the sun there were quite bad reflections on the windows! The cubs seemed to be very happy and healthy and were playing with each other and their mother Abi.

    There were no signs saying that there are any newborn cubs on display, the only official word is the news item on the ZSL website; I suppose the zoo will not make further announcements until the cubs are able to go outside and also when they have been introduced to Lucifer and their older sister?

    Please find a couple of photos in the gallery that I managed to take on my SLR camera of one of the cubs on its own and also with Abi. The pictures are of quite poor quality due to the bad reflections on the windows!

    Does anyone know if the cubs have been introduced to Lucifer yet and when they may be able to go outside into the main enclosure?



    Del
     
  19. Nisha

    Nisha Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    According to ISIS the new cubs are both girls
     
  20. stulch

    stulch Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    I can confirm that I went on Saturday and asked the question.

    Saturday was either only the first or second day they had been out in the main enclosure.