PITTSBURGH \u2014 The Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium announced a special new addition on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Zoo officials say a female African lion cub was born on April 5 to parents Scarlett and Hondo. She\u2019s the first cub for both parents. <\/p>\n
Scarlett and the cub are currently bonding in an off-habitat maternity ward, an environment that reflects lionesses\u2019 natural behavior to shelter their young. <\/p>\n
But, zoo officials say mom and baby are doing great. <\/p>\n
\u201cScarlett is an excellent mother and has been caring for the cub well. Animal care staff are carefully monitoring healthy nursing patterns and normal maternal behavior,\u201d Assistant Curator of Mammals Karen Vacco said. <\/p>\n
The cub is expected to make her public debut in late summer, once she has stronger mobility skills. <\/p>\n
This birth comes less than a year after Hondo arrived in Pittsburgh<\/a> with the hope of successful breeding. It\u2019s seen as a major victory for the Association of Zoos & Aquarium\u2019s Lion Species Survival Plan, a nationwide effort to ensure genetic diversity among animals in human care.<\/p>\n The last time lions were born at the Pittsburgh Zoo was in 2020. <\/p>\n Download the FREE WPXI News app<\/a> for breaking news alerts.<\/p>\n Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook<\/a> and Twitter<\/a>. | Watch WPXI NOW<\/a><\/p>\n TOP STORIES FROM CHANNEL 11 NEWS <\/p>\n \u00a92026 Cox Media Group<\/p>\n