Whipsnade Zoo’s trio of Northern African lion cubs have been pictured taking their first exploratory steps outside, under the watchful eye of their mother Winta.

The nine-week-old cubs appeared tentative at first, but with a little encouragement from mum, were soon spotted chasing each other and playfighting in the grass in their paddock. The cubs, born on 25 November 2024, have so far spent their time cosied up in their indoor den with mum, with their precious early moments monitored on the zoo’s hidden ‘cubcam’.

Whilst the cubs were exploring, the keepers noticed one of them avoiding putting weight onto its back right leg. The cub is being closely monitored by vets to keep track of how the leg is faring as the cub grows, but are happy to have seen some improvements already.

The three cubs – who will be sexed at their first health check next week - are vitally important for protecting the lineage of their sadly threatened sub-species, which was only officially recognised in 2017, and will be part of a meticulously planned breeding programme to ensure the insurance population of Northern African lions is genetically healthy.

Visitors to the ZSL conservation Zoo may now be able to catch a glimpse of Winta and her cubs as they get used to their new surroundings. Every visit to Whipsnade Zoo supports the work of ZSL’s conservation teams to protect and restore wildlife around the world.

Photos: Whipsnade Zoo’s three north African lion cubs take their first steps outside with mother Winta ©Whipsnade Zoo