Abandoned cub gets new lease on life in Lahore Safari Zoo

Experts say big cats abandon their offspring if they sense the cubs are weak


Asif Mehmood May 12, 2019
There are many other animals who can refuse to accept their offspring. PHOTO: EXPRESS

LAHORE: A lion cub, born at Lahore Safari Zoo, has been given a second chance at life after being abandoned by his mother. These days, the cub is being looked after by staff at Lahore Safari Zoo in order to ensure its survival.

The lion cub, who is a few weeks old, is primarily being taken care of by Dr Madiha Ashraf who is a veterinarian at the zoo. Instead of the lion enclosure, the mischievous cub lives at her office where his diet and health are strictly monitored. “The cub is being fed a diet of substitute milk imported from abroad,” she says.

According to veterinary experts, big cats are known to abandon their offspring if they sense that the cub is weak and unlikely to survive. As a result, the mother rejects the cub, refuses to feed it and does not allow it to come near. Sometimes, lionesses eat the frail cub.

“When a lioness rejects her cub, we wait a few days before taking any action in case she has a change of heart,” says Ashraf. “However, if she continues to distance herself, the cub is then fed a substitute diet in order to maintain its health and ensure its survival,” she adds.

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“This is the third lion cub that has been abandoned by his mother,” she states. Lion cubs often die without their mother. However, if they are provided proper care, they can survive. Shinko, another lion at Lahore Safari Zoo, is one such example of this. He was abandoned by his mother at birth and was then raised on a substituted diet,” she says.

Ashraf says that the cub will be raised in this manner until it is three to four months old. “After that, it will have to be transferred to a cage as it will more difficult to control,” she maintains.

Lahore Safari Zoo Deputy Director Chaudhry Shafqat Ali says that both Dr Madiha and Dr Ashraf are caring for the cub which has resulted in the animal becoming familiar with them.

Veterinary experts reveal that humans typically recognise children by their faces. Animals on the other hand, recognise their offspring by their scent. Sometimes, the mother does not immediately accept the child due to complications during birth.

In any case, it is not possible to force the mother to feed the cub as lions can attack. Therefore, the cubs are separated from the mother.

Apart from big cats, there are many other animals who can refuse to accept their offspring. Several deer at Lahore Zoo and Lahore Safari Zoo have been raised by humans.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 12th, 2019.

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