Turtle Back Zoo welcomes two new lion cubs

Turtle Back Zoo is celebrating a milestone after announcing the birth of two African lion cubs, the first ever born at the facility.

The zoo shared the news in a social media post, saying its lioness, Makena, gave birth to the cubs this week. As a first-time mother, Makena is being closely monitored alongside her newborns during the early, critical days following the birth.

Makena and the cubs’ father, Demarcus, are considered a genetically valuable pair within the African Lion Species Survival Plan, a cooperative breeding program aimed at protecting the species. Zoo officials said the birth is especially meaningful as lion populations continue to decline in the wild.

The arrival of the cubs follows a year of preparation and coordination by Turtle Back Zoo’s Animal Care and Veterinary t