ADORABLE VIDEO: Denver Zoo's New Lion Cub Meets Dad
DENVER (CBS4) - The Denver Zoo shared a behind-the-scenes video of the lion cub born in July meeting his father!
Until recently, the cub and his mom, Neliah, could only see the other members of the pride -- father Tobias, sister Kamara and aunt Sabi -- through mesh, and keepers said the grownups were "obsessed with the cub."
"Already 12 lbs, this little lion is climbing up the ranks in the world - as in he literally loves climbing everything and that includes Aunt Sabi and Kamara!" zoo officials said.
The 6-week-old baby boy doesn't have a name yet -- and you can help choose it. The zoo has narrowed down the names to three:
- Meru (a mountain in Tanzania)
- Moremi (a game reserve in Botswana)
- Tatu (the Swahili word for No. 3)
The voting is serving as a fundraiser for the zoo. People who want to vote have to donate a dollar per vote. Click here to vote.
The African lion population has been cut in half since Disney's "The Lion King" was released 25 years ago.
"These lions really help us tell the important story of what is happening to lions in the wild," said Hollie Colahan, Vice President for Animal Care at the zoo. "When people start to care, then they want to learn more and do more."
Colahan hoped the birth of the baby boy cub would encourage more humans to grow their interest in the preservation and growth of the lion population.
VIDEO: Denver Zoo's 3-Week-Old Lion Cub Rolls Around In Den
Guests will be able to catch a glimpse of Neliah and her cub on the TV screens in Pahali Ya Simba in Benson Predator Ridge before his public debut.
