Woburn Safari Park’s male African lion cubs Tsavo, Jengo and Jelani have said farewell to their pride and their keepers, as they prepare to embark on an exciting new life in their new home at West Midlands Safari Park in Worcestershire.
Leaving their home in Bedfordshire, they are now ready to be integrated into their new pride and will soon be on view to the public in the Realm of the Lions reserve.
The male cubs are being moved to an all-female pride so that they can embark on a new life, and to establish a new family group of their own.
They were incredibly calm as Woburn Safari Park’s keepers encouraged the boys into their transport crates and carefully loaded them onto a trailer for transportation.
[gallery link="file" ids="17725,17728,17729,17726,17727,17730"]Born back in September 2014 to lioness, Dakota, the playful boys have spent their formative years growing up at Woburn Safari Park. Their age and adventurous spirit makes now the right time for them to move on to their new pride.
“We have all really enjoyed caring for Dakota’s cubs, but at 17 months old the males are ready to forge their own paths.
“In the wild, upon reaching maturity or at adolescence, males would be pushed out of the pride to go and find new territories of their own.
“As these cubs share the same bloodline with other females in the pride, the move is important to prevent in-breeding and promote healthy populations of this species in captivity. Hopefully the three boys will settle in well and enjoy exploring their new home.” said Craig Lancaster, Acting Head of Carnivores.
African lions are classified as ‘Vulnerable’ to extinction in the wild, due in most part to habitat loss and hunting. Wildlife collections therefore play an important role in ensuring there are healthy populations living in captivity, should re-introduction into the wild become a necessary conservation activity one day.
The boys’ mother, Dakota, and sisters, Zuri and Kamara, will remain behind in the pride living at Woburn Safari Park and can be seen by visitors in the Kingdom of the Carnivores section of the Road Safari.
For more information about the animals at Woburn Safari Park including the African lions, and the young Amur tiger cubs now on view to the public visit www.woburnsafari.co.uk/news
