The two newest members of the pride at Lion Country Safari now have names. The lion cubs, Adari and Zarina, were born at the park a few months ago and are already creating a stir.
“These playful sisters are already full of personality, charm and a dash of mischief,” Lion Keeper Joanna Follett said.
The easiest way to tell them apart is by their whisker pattern, which can be as unique as a fingerprint. Adari has two small dots at the top of her whisker pattern on the right side of her face. Also, Zarina is the more social sister, always getting into things and causing trouble, while Adari is calm and more likely to explore on her own.
So far, the cubs have shown curiosity, bravery, and a propensity to enjoy splash time and palm fronds.
“The cubs have gotten to meet all the females in the pride, and one of the sweetest sights is the bond forming with big sister Mashika,” Follett said. “Whenever the trio is together, you’ll see pure joy.”
Ashleigh Kandrac, the general animal curator, said there are 85 species of animals at Lion Country Safari, and Adari and Zarina, though they weren’t named at the time, were born April 21. They had their first health check on May 6.
“It went great,” Kandrac said.
They waited for their mother, Mara, to willingly leave the cubs for a few minutes, and they shut the doors between her and the cubs and went in to examine them.
“The blood work looked good,” she said. “Their lungs and hearts and everything sounded great. So, everybody was happy with what they found.”
They’ve had additional health checks since, which have all gone well, and they received their first round of vaccines just a few weeks later, when they weighed in at 8 and 9 pounds. Now, they’re much bigger and more active.
The Lion Country Safari lion habitat is six acres for the 12 lions — five males and seven females. It’s the largest lion pride within the Association of Zoos and Aquarium Institutions.
The cubs’ parents are 10-year-old Vander and five-year-old Mara. They’re Mara’s first set of cubs, and Vander’s second.
The male and female lions are kept separate at Lion Country Safari, unless they’re intentionally brought together with the intent of breeding, according to the African Lion Species Survival Plan.
In the last five years, they’ve had three litters. Prior to that, it had been more than 20 years since there was a new litter at the park. Mara, the cubs’ mother, and Atlas, were born five years ago, and followed by solo cub Mashika, who turned two on July 13, and now, Adari and Zarina.
“It’s going to be a big group of girls,” Kandrac said. “A lot of facilities have one to three lions, not 12, where they’re watching males in the other yard, or they’re with their sisters and their aunts and their mother. That’s what makes Lion Country unique and special — that they are growing up in that big group society like a lion pride would.”
Habitat loss and destruction is the biggest threat to lions in the wild, Kandrac said.
Their habitat and enrichment at the park is meant to mimic life in the wild, without the threats they’d encounter.
In the meantime, the cubs have a behind-the-scenes camera just for them, where the public can watch them live. It’s a unique opportunity where people worldwide can watch the cubs at www.youtube.com/@LionCountrySafari1. They can be seen growing, learning, playing and just being cubs.
Eventually, they’ll meet all the other females in the pride before joining them. It might be just a few hours a day where they’ll be visible to the public, but it varies based on what the cubs and Mara are letting staff know they want.
When the cubs are going to be out regularly, Kandrac said, the news will be shared online so people can see them.
Lion Country Safari is working with Princeton University on a study about lions, and how the lions at the safari compare to other lions in the wild. Since the local lion pride doesn’t have to hunt for their food, their enrichment activities and other activities to burn energy are incredibly important, and they’re all considered healthy.
The lions get trained for behaviors such as standing on the scale for a dental check. The lions are weighed frequently to make sure they are healthy, and their athleticism is monitored.
The team puts a lot of effort into creative ways to enrich the lions, keeping them active and mentally stimulated.
The lions are typically out by 10 a.m., with the ticket booth for Lion Country Safari opening at 9:30 a.m.
Coming early, right when Lion Country Safari opens, is a great time to arrive, since it’s cooler out, the animals are often more active, and some are having breakfast.
Visitors can have an immersive experience with animals from around the world, including giraffes, ostriches and antelope walking right past vehicles. There’s also the adventure park, with rides and a water park, and there are opportunities to feed and interact with animals at Lion Country Safari, including a petting zoo and giraffe feeding.
For more information, visit www.lioncountrysafari.com to plan a visit to Lion Country Safari.
