Belfast Zoo has welcomed three "playful" young lions, brothers Kumo, Djibo, and Mao, who made their public debut last Friday after arriving from France.
The two-year-old trio, from Zoo de La Boissiere du Dore in western France, are expected to bring "plenty of antics," according to lead keepers.
Lara Clarke, Belfast Zoo's curator for lions, gorillas, and chimpanzees, expressed her delight, stating the animals have been going "from strength to strength" since their arrival.
Their introduction follows the passing of the zoo’s two Barbary lioness sisters, both over 20, in March.
As younger lions, Kumo, Djibo, and Mao are anticipated to be highly active, with Ms Clarke noting their "tug of war" games with sack material. They join other recent arrivals, including a chimpanzee and a golden lion tamarin.
She said the goal for keepers is “to keep those animals stimulated”.
“We do that through things like enrichment and the way we present their feed, so the sacks got a good bit of entertainment for an hour there,” she said.
“On our really hot days we can put in ‘bloodsicles’, just big frozen blocks of blood, which is their version of an ice lolly. It wouldn’t be my ideal choice but they absolutely love it, and also different ways of presenting their food.
“So our girls had arthritis as expected in any elderly cat, whereas our boys should be able to use our three climbing poles.”
She added: “That’s going to test all their muscles, it’s going to keep everything working the way a young lion’s body should work.”
As a member of the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA), Belfast came to have the lions through a population management and breeding programme (EEP) that ensures the genetic diversity of species in zoos across Europe.
“So, about this time last year, I was in conversation with the Northern Lion EEP,” Ms Clarke said.
“We knew our older lions were getting on a bit in age. We’re starting to see some health problems creeping in, and so we started those conversations nice and early so that they could match us with the most appropriate animals.”
She added: “We have one big paddock and one big house, so the most appropriate thing for us is to hold a bachelor group.”
Ms Clarke hopes the zoo will be able to develop and one day have a breeding programme, which would require a second enclosure for mother and cubs.
“I think people think whenever they hear of endangered species or vulnerable species, you just breed and breed and breed, but then you very quickly run out of space, so we’re here as a really important genetic reservoir,” she said.
Belfast Zoo is hoping to hold the lions until full maturity, which is four-and-a-half to five years old.
“They are juveniles,” Ms Clarke said.
“A lot of people probably come up here thinking they’re females because they haven’t got their full mane yet.”
She added: “Ideally, I’d like to have them here for a prolonged period of time, I’ve got a very new young team of zookeepers, so it’d be lovely for them to develop with the lions and build up a bond with them that I had with our previous lions.”
Ms Clarke admitted Djibo was her favourite of the brothers, describing him as the “most problematic” when the lions were let into their enclosure.
“He’s the one with the biggest mane, he’s got very hairy elbows and things at the minute, so he’s looking like a little teenage boy,” she said.
The zoo has also celebrated several successful births in recent months including gentoo penguin chicks, maned wolf pups, a red panda cub, a cotton-top tamarin and pancake tortoise hatchlings.
Nigel Simpson, zoo development manager, encouraged visitors to come to see the new lions who are still in their “playful stage” of life.
“They still want to play, and they’re down here at the front today, ripping sacks apart and playing with each other,” he said.
“So they’re great to see, and there is lots more to see as well.
“There’s lots of new births that we’ve had this year, so there’s plenty to see and do and if the weather holds like it has been recently, it’s a fantastic day out.”
