Lion Cubs' First Exam!
Posted at 8:22 am July 12, 2006 by Marcia Redding
On July 7, our six-week-old lion cubs, Bakari & Abena, had their very first veterinary exam. They both received the first in a series of vaccinations, some wormer paste, and a brief physical exam. Both were pronounced strong & healthy.
We began separating their mother, Oshana (pictured above), from her brood for short periods of time several weeks ago in preparation for their upcoming exam. While nervous at first, she soon began to relax, aided by the meaty bones, beef heart, and other treats given as positive reinforcement. Our goal was to lessen her stress while the cubs were being examined.
On the big day, the vet staff assembled outside the Lion Camp bedroom area while we separated Oshana from her cubs. As soon as she was preoccupied with some food in a separate room, we quickly and quietly examined the cubs. As soon as they received the shots there was some squalling, as you may imagine. At this point Oshana did become a little upset and began vocalizing to her babies. Luckily we were finished at this point and were able to quickly reunite the family.
Oshana's behavior when let back in with her cubs was very interesting. First she smelled and licked each cub all over, vocalizing to them the whole time in a low rumble. Everyone who had touched the babies wore gloves, but she still performed the full inspection. After satisfying herself that her kids were alright, she proceeded to hiss and snarl at us, her regular keepers, and then turned her back on us. Message received! Luckily the next day, while suspicious, she interacted fairly normally with us, and was back to normal the day after that.
The cubs continue to grow and become more coordinated. We will let everyone know when they will be available for viewing. Until then, I will keep posting updates on their progress!
Marcia Redding is a senior keeper at the Wild Animal Park.
Read Marcia's previous lion cub blog, Lion Cubs Explore the Chute.
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July 12th, 2006 at 8:46 am
Oh, isn't Oshana beautiful! And what a good mommy, too. Thank you for the update - glad to hear our little babies are doing great - and growing. I am so looking forward to the day when we can see them on exhibit. Please keep the updates coming - and thank you for all your hard work!
July 12th, 2006 at 10:01 am
Thank you, Marcia, for your descriptive account of the cubs' first exam. Oshana's behavior was fascinating. I check daily for updates on the cubs and can hardly wait to see them. Will video be posted?
July 12th, 2006 at 10:11 am
I am so glad to hear that the cubs are strong and healthy and that Oshana is such an attentive and caring mother! I check the zoo website every day for updates on the cubs and am anxiously awaiting the day I can visit them at the Wild Animal Park. Thanks so much for the update, Marcia!
July 12th, 2006 at 12:47 pm
Thank you, Marcia, for the update on the cubs and their first exam. Can hardly wait for them to make their first appearance, it will be a thrill to see them and their mother together at Lion Camp. I am waiting to take videos of them and take pictures, they will be soo cute and fun to watch.
July 12th, 2006 at 1:21 pm
Thanks for another detailed update, Marcia. Thanks for the picture of Oshana as well. I've seen the three-cat pride at the WAP but wasn't sure which lioness was Oshana. The anxious public awaits any and all details of the cubs, and most especially wonders how soon they will be ready to greet their crowd of admiring fans. Can you give us more vital statistics from their exam, such as how big they are? Or was the exam more vaccinations and so brief of a physical that you put off weights and measurements for another time?
July 12th, 2006 at 4:15 pm
Oh how sweet! Oshana is such an awesome mom.
I'm sure there are no grudges held… Marcia, you paint such vivid pictures when you tell your stories. I can't wait till your next updates…and pictures of our sweet babies!
July 12th, 2006 at 5:41 pm
Thanks everyone for the nice comments, and also for being so patient while waiting to see the cubs. We have a lot of " baby proofing" to do out in the exhibit so we'll be ready when they can finally go out. Jennifer, we didn't weigh them this time, we wanted to be quick as possible. The next time we weigh the adults on the platform scale we'll try to weigh the cubs also. This could be a challenge, as the adults are trained to sit on the scale and the cubs don't have a clue yet! I can tell you that they are a lot heavier than they look, solid little bundles of muscle.
July 12th, 2006 at 6:25 pm
It's always such a joy to read your blogs, Marcia! You make each situation come to life for us. I can just imagine Oshana letting you know in no uncertain terms to BACK OFF! An attitude not to be taken lightly!! I also can't wait to see our new lovely cubs. Thanks so much for keeping us all informed.
July 13th, 2006 at 8:43 am
Thank you for sharing all of your experiences with us! It is always so interesting to hear about the animals and their behaviors and their personalities! Thank you for keeping us up to date with the cubs!!!!
Jillian
July 13th, 2006 at 9:44 am
Please hurry with the baby proofing. We cannot wait to see them.
July 13th, 2006 at 11:00 am
Thanks, Marcia, for another great update. I check every day for anything new on the little bundles and was really excited when I saw this entry was about them. I'm so happy to hear they're doing well and that Oshana (beautiful kitty) is such a good mommy. I'm curious though, when you or other keepers interact with the big cats, are you able to be in the same room with them or do you work through bars or some type of barrier? Just wondering because of your comment about Oshana being suspicious the next day but interacting fairly normally.
Thanks so much again, Marcia. I can't wait for the next update and hopefully some pictures!
July 15th, 2006 at 2:21 pm
Marcia, Thank you for the update on the cubs…I just now read it and Oshana was just being the best mama she could be! LOL So funny that she would curse out her keepers!
Keep up the good work and next time you are able to touch those babies…please give them a little pat on the behind for me!
Looking forward to some pictures of the babies soon.
July 17th, 2006 at 6:41 am
Thank you, Marcia, for keeping us updated on Oshana and her cubs!! I also check the website daily for updates (and of course to check out other news posted). Are the cubs to be introduced with the rest of the pride, in time, with Oshana, and kept at the SDWAP, or are they going to play a part in a breeding program? I'm glad Oshana is being a good mommy to her kids!! =) Yes, can't wait to see pictures soon, too. I also am curious to know how the keepers interact with the other big cats. Are the keepers able to be in the same room with them at any time, or are these exams thru barriers ? Thank You, Marcia!!!
July 17th, 2006 at 2:20 pm
Jeannie, we do work with the lions through a barrier. The welded wire has 3" by 3" mesh - plenty of room to work with the lions. We do our training, feeding and socializing through the mesh. This is safer both for us and for them. This method also gives the lions the option of not working with us if they are having a hard time focusing. So - unless they cooperate, nothing happens! This is why we try to keep the training fun for them, and only use positive reinforcement. On days when females are cycling, of course we get less concentration from Izu, the male. Certainly can't blame him!
Lainie, we have not yet decided what we will do regarding reintroduction of Oshana's litter to the pride, but are debating several scenarios. As far as the cubs remaining at the WAP, chances are pretty good that they will not. Their genetic material is very valuable and will be in demand at other facilities. However, they will not be relocated until at least a year old, so we should still be able to watch them grow up! Thanks, everyone, for your patience! I will keep you updated on all the latest developments.
July 18th, 2006 at 8:15 am
Marcia, thanks so much not only for the updates, but also for your wonderful and timely responses to the questions posted in the comments. You have an amazing and insanely demanding job, and your efforts to keep the rest of us informed are deeply appreciated. I can't wait to see the cubs, and loved the description of Oshana's huffiness towards her keepers after the cubs' checkup. What imagery!
July 19th, 2006 at 1:01 pm
Marcia, I do have a quick question. Can you tell us a bit about Mbari's pride? Are they in the old lion enclosure, visible from the Condor Ridge walkway? How is Etosha doing? Is there a chance she may have more cubs? Well, that's really several questions, but I'm sure a lot of us may be wondering. Thanks so much.
July 19th, 2006 at 4:12 pm
Thanks Marcia, for your continuing updates. I always love hearing more about the animals, especially the babies. We've just been spoiled lately by some of the San Diego babies, and the unprecedented access we've had, between Su Lin growing up on camera and some of the other youngsters being raised by staff, we, the public, have gotten some unique photo and interaction opportunities. One of the first things I do at the Wild Animal Park is head to the Animal Care Center, sometimes you can get up close looks at animals, especially various babies that need some extra attention, and on a rare occasion in January I watched filming of an animal interaction with a bigger habitat, and was able to talk with the keeper as well. I especially love the candid pictures of Su Lin, is there any chance at a Lion Cam? I know there's the eagle eye, but it's not quite the same.
July 20th, 2006 at 2:01 pm
Shirley, Etosha and M'bari are living in the old lion enclosure, and doing just fine. They take turns on exhibit with Rengat, a Sumatran Tiger who also resides there. They love the enclosure…it is over 3 acres with varied terrain to explore. The keepers from the Nairobi Village area are doing a great job keeping up with their training. At this point Etosha does not appear to be pregnant, although she and M'bari have bred recently.
Jennifer, while we do have a closed circuit camera that allows us to monitor the maternity den from our office at Lion Camp, unfortunately the setup inside makes photography a little difficult. This is a situation we would like to remedy in the future. I know everyone is anxious to see the cubs, and we'll do our best to get some images as soon as possible. We are working on baby proofing the exhibit so the cubs will be safe when they make their public debut, hopefully some time in August. Hang in there everyone! We all appreciate your patience!
July 22nd, 2006 at 9:34 pm
Marcia, thanks for the updates! I was told that Etosha would not be able to have children so it is a pleasant surprise to see that that is not the case. M'bari and Etosha are beautiful lions and it would be great if they do have cubs. It's nice to get the name of the Sumatran Tiger, " Rengat" . What a beautiful tiger Rengat is that I have taken many pictures of but been unable to find his name anywhere or from anyone at the park. Is Rengat a male tiger?
I use to see Rengat together with Blanca but now they are seperated.
Do you have any update on Mina and if she is pregnant?
Thanks for your info! Can't wait to see the two cubs.