He is a cat's paw jammer.
A baby African lion has been born at a Texas zoo for the first time in nine years and is “jumping and playing” with its proud mother.
The Fort Worth Zoo opened its heart to Moja, a bouncing baby boy born on October 20, 2023, to first-time mother Saba and father Jabulani. The park announced this week.
The tiny cub's nickname, pronounced “Moujah”, which means “one” in Swahili, weighed just 2.7 pounds at four days old and has grown to 16 pounds, according to the zoo.
Moja is not on public display at this time as zookeepers are making sure she is strong enough to adapt to her new environment.
“This little boy is learning the meaning of play and is always seen jumping on his mom to play. We are so excited for this little one and can't wait to meet him soon! ” the Fort Worth Zoo wrote on Instagram.
His parents, Saba and Jabulani, were brought to the zoo in 2012 after being born in a wildlife facility in South Africa.
Along with a third lion, Abagabe, the trio introduced a new lion lineage to North America and helped change its gene pool, the zoo said.
African lions are considered a vulnerable population, so the birth of this cub marks a milestone in conservation of the endangered mammal and increases the diversity of African lion bloodlines in the country. Zoo officials believe this is a step forward in the Texas told CBS.
“The main threats to African lions are human-wildlife conflict and the decline of natural prey, as well as habitat loss, climate change and the wildlife trade,” it said. World Wildlife Fund explains on website. “Approximately 23,000 African lions remain in the wild and are now officially classified as 'vulnerable'.”
