Lion

Panthera leo

Description:

There are 2 cubs in the cage, Ben is a male and Hana is a female. One is lying down behind the other. The adults are in an outdoor enclosure.

Habitat:

Wildlife park

Notes:

This was in a wildlife park at Pradise Valley Springs near Rotorua in New Zealand and I was allowed inside its cage (with the keeper) to take the photographs.

Species ID Suggestions

5 Comments

Malcolm Wilton-Jones 7 years ago

Just received an update on these:
The Cubs you saw would have been Hana and Ben. Hana is now nine years old and doing really well in our Pride here at Paradise. She is one of our most dominant Lions only beneath Max, our 17 year old King, and Ryo, his 21 year old Queen.

Ben was donated to Bali Marine and Safari Park which is overseen by a New Zealand curator. He successfully started his own Pride there, alongside two other of our younger Lions, Chase and Ella, who were born in 2010.

Malcolm Wilton-Jones 12 years ago

Thanks, it was one of the highlights of our trip round the world. We did get as close to an adult in Kruger Park but we were in a car and stopped beside him while he was sleeping after feasting on a large kill. Lots of vultures marked the spot!