Even though Herberstein Wildlife Park remains closed for the time being due to the coronavirus, the animal care team threw a big celebration for the three "royal offspring" behind the scenes. Each cub received a gift box filled with juicy ribs.

A Year of the Lion in Kilograms

Born weighing about 1.5 kg, the first few weeks were a critical time for the lion cubs. Since their mother, Amira, didn’t have enough milk, they had to be supplemented with special formula for 5 weeks—initially every 3 hours, and later every 6 hours. “It was an intense time for the entire team,” recalls Tierwelt Managing Director Doris Wolkner-Steinberger, adding, “but the best team-building exercise you could imagine.”
Weighing just under 3 kilograms, they were introduced to the public shortly before Christmas and were on display for zoo visitors starting in mid-January 2020. Their first step into the outdoor enclosure and their smooth reunion with their father, Caesar, took place in the spring during the first lockdown and thus unfolded away from the eyes of spectators. By that time, the teenagers already weighed 25 kg. Currently, each of the three young animals is approaching the 100 kg mark.

Get Up Close and Personal with the Action on Löwenblog

"For months, we let Mom Amira blog; now the story is being told from Dad Caesar's perspective," said Managing Director Doris Wolkner-Steinberger about the successful marketing idea.