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Linton Zoological Gardens African Lion Diary Cambridgeshires Wildlife Breeding Centre |
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SAFINA - AFRICAN LION CUB ON CAMERA - 30th November 2005 Over Christmas and New Year of 2005 visitors to the zoo were able to watch the progress and development of Safina, our African lion cub. It doesn't seem so long
ago that we were announcing the arrival of Riziki and Karla as cubs
from Woburn Safari Park, on 30th November 2004 the young pair became
proud parents of "Safina". Unfortunately the inexperience
of Riziki and Karla meant that we had to remove the little cub for
hand-rearing to ensure she survived. Safina, (Swahili for Beautiful
One) weighed around two and a half pounds at birth, she has been
fed from a baby's bottle on a special milk formula successfully
used on both of her parents and by six weeks of age she has transformed
from a tiny lifeless cub to a ten pound bundle of mischief! Visitors
have been able to watch her progress on a video monitor in the coffee
shop. The observation monitor
has created such interest that we are planning to upgrade from a
small black and white to large colour screen and with more cubs
and babies on the way this will allow visitors to get a good look
at an otherwise secret part of the mothers and babies lives. We
are hoping that someone, perhaps a security company might like to
supply and sponsor the necessary equipment in time for the birth
of our next litter of cubs.
Recently Safina hit the national news . The media took an interest in her friendship with our ginger tom "Arnie". Arnie is well loved by regular visitors, he often greets people at the entrance and offers" guided tours"! usually for a share of a picnic. We have a strict policy of only hand-rearing baby animals if it is absolutely necessary and Arnie is always in his element when new cubs or kittens arrive in the household. He helps to wash, groom and take care of the youngsters, but as the cubs grow play time has to be supervised as he doesn't seem to notice, or care, how big and heavy they become.
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