ISLAMABAD: Rani, the African lioness at Marghazar Zoo gave birth to four cubs on Thursday, sources told Dawn.

Zoo officials said that the mother and cubs were fine.

“This is big news for us. In November 2016, Rani had given birth to two stillborn cubs,” said a zoo official.

He said that Rani and cubs were currently living in a separate designated room, where their movement was being monitored through CCTV cameras.

When contacted zoo director, Mohammad Irshad, he said his team had provided Rani best facilities and she and her cubs were healthy. “Our veterinary doctor and his team are taking full care of Rani,” he said.

“The birth of four healthy cubs is good news for residents of the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, who are frequent visitors to the zoo, particularly during Eid holidays, but we will not be able to bring out the two young cubs from the designated room during the Eid holidays,” the director said.

The pair of African lions was brought to the zoo in May last year under the Punjab government’s birds and animals exchange programme.

Published in Dawn, June 24th, 2017