Lion cub dies at Zoo Miami after mother neglects it | Miami Herald

One of the three lion cubs born in Zoo Miami last month has died after being neglected by its mother.

The cubs’ mother, 3-year-old Kashifa, was initially a caring mother, nursing the newborns on a regular basis. But she recently began to neglect them.

It is not uncommon for first-time mothers to abandon their cubs in the wild, said Ron Magill of Zoo Miami.

More than half of the cubs born in the wild don’t live past their first year, he said.

Zoo staff will be in charge of raising the two remaining lion cubs.

The cub’s death places doubts on whether the surviving cubs will be placed on exhibit with the rest of the pride, which is now made up of four adult lions, Magill said.

Plans were underway for the three cubs to be placed on exhibit with their mother and father in about three months. Now, there is a chance the four adults will not accept the two cubs into the pride.