Odisha’s Nandankanan Welcomes 3 New Cubs Of Asiatic Lioness Rewa

Bhubaneswar: Asiatic lioness Rewa gave birth to three more cubs at Nandankanan Zoological Park, on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar, on Sunday.

This is her second litter after almost a year with Jeet.

The zoo authorities shifted them to the rearing centre as the lioness initially didn’t show affection to the newborns. “Although both the lioness and her cubs are in good health, the mother’s caregiving behaviour is under scrutiny via CCTV cameras as she initially showed signs of neglecting her offsprings,” said Zoo Deputy Director Sanath Kumar.

Taking to his personal ‘X’ handle, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF)-Wildlife Susanta Nanda wrote, “Welcome Amar, Akbar & Anthony. Seven-year-old Asiatic lioness Rewa at Nandankanan Biological Park has given birth to three male cubs. As the mother abandoned them, they were stabilised in neonatal ICU and are being hand reared now.”

With the addition of three cubs, the number of lions in the zoo has gone up to 24.

Rewa had given birth to four cubs in January last year and two among them had died instantly. It was her first litter with Jeet after being brought from Indore zoo in 2019.

Prior to this, the zoo had welcomed five cubs from lioness Bijli, who is the elder sister of Rewa. They were born out of one mother in Indore before they were shifted to Nandankanan.