It’s been a busy year at the nursery for Zoo Atlanta.
At the close of a year in which the zoo welcomed two new pandas, two infant orangutans, a rhino calf, a baby golden lion tamarin and two gorillas, four more new arrivals were announced Wednesday.
African lioness Kiki, 9, gave birth to four cubs.
The cubs, which were born Tuesday, are the second litter for Kiki and 9-year-old male Kamau.
Using ultrasound technology, zoo veterinarians verified in late October that Kiki was pregnant. Lion pregnancies usually last three to four months, and an average litter includes one to five cubs.
Kiki and Kamau’s previous litter was born in 2008. Those male cubs, named Christos, Mikalos and Athanaisi, were transferred to a zoological park in Puebla, Mexico.
Lion offspring are completely dependent on their mothers, and will stay with the mother for 18 months. These cubs will begin exploring their habitat in about eight weeks, said zoo officials.
