FRESNO, Calif. (FOX26) — Fresno Chaffee Zoo is celebrating a Fourth of July surprise: two new African lion cubs.
The zoo said Zamaya gave birth to her second litter of cubs on Saturday, July 4.
Zamaya and her two cubs are resting and bonding behind the scenes while they continue to be monitored by the zoo’s animal care and veterinary teams.
“Fresno Chaffee Zoo is excited to expand our lion pride with the addition of two new cubs,” General Curator Nicole Presley said. “Zamaya is doing a great job, as expected, and is recovering well. Both mom and the cubs will stay behind-the-scenes until they have received all their vaccines and are ready to meet the public and the rest of our lion pride.”
The zoo said this is the second litter born to Zamaya and Chisulo, a male African lion at Fresno Chaffee Zoo. Taraj and Asali, born in 2024, were the pair’s first litter and remain at the zoo.
In their natural habitat, the African lion population is considered “vulnerable,” according to the IUCN Red List. Fresno Chaffee Zoo said it participates in conservation efforts for the species as members of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan and the AZA’s Saving Animals From Extinction program.
The zoo said it will continue to provide updates on Zamaya and her cubs on its social media channels and website.