Triple trouble for mum! Wildlife park celebrates the birth of its first ever TRIPLET Asiatic lion cubs
- Cubs Kali, Sita and Sonika made their first public appearance at Cotswold Wildlife Park on Saturday
- They are the first lions born at the park for 14 years and the first triplets in the park's 46-year history
- Asiatic lions are extremely rare and their numbers have fallen such that they're close to extinction
A wildlife park is celebrating the arrival of the first ever lion triplets to be born since it opened 46 years ago.
The proud parents, rare Asiatic lions Rana and Kanha, have made history with their very first litter at Cotswold Wildlife Park, near Burford, Oxfordshire.
On Saturday, the adorable trio of cubs are pictured making their public debut and meeting their father for the first time.
Debut: Kali, Sita and Sonika made their first public appearance at Cotswold Wildlife Park, near Burford, Oxfordshire
Adorable: The boisterous youngsters can also be seen nuzzling and playing with their affectionate mum on Saturday
New mum: The proud parents, rare Asiatic lions Rana and Kanha (pictured), have made history with their very first litter
Kali, Sita and Sonika, the three female cubs, are shown playfully running down a grassy slope as they explored their new surroundings.
The boisterous youngsters can also be seen nuzzling and playing with their affectionate mum.
One little lioness appears to be practising her roar and looks ready to pounce as she stretches out on top of a log.
The new parents came to Cotswold Wildlife Park in 2013 and 2014 as part of the European Breeding Programme and keepers hoped that they would one day produce a litter of their own.
Breeding: The new parents came to Cotswold Wildlife Park in 2013 and 2014 as part of the European Breeding Programme
Love in an instant: Rana and Kanha formed an instant bond and two years later, Kanha gave birth to her three cubs
Stretch: One little lioness appears to be practising her roar and looks ready to pounce as she stretches out on top of a log
Rana and Kanha formed an instant bond and two years later, after a gestation period of four months, Kanha gave birth to her three cubs.
Lionesses rear their cubs in seclusion and often reject them if they are disturbed so keepers watched the births remotely on CCTV monitors.
For nearly two months, the triplets lived solely with their mother in the birthing pen.
Rana remained in the neighbouring enclosure but was never too far from the cubs.
He was often seen by keepers taking a great interest in his new family.
This week, the cubs were successfully introduced to their father in the main outdoor enclosure for the big cats.
Tradition: For nearly two months, the triplets lived solely with their mother in the birthing pen as lionesses rear their cubs in seclusion
Playful: Kali, Sita and Sonika are shown playfully running down a grassy slope as they explored their new surroundings
Exploring: One of the triplets playing with mum's tail at Cotswold Wildlife Park as she meets the public for the first time
The three adorable cubs are the first ever triplets to be born at the park since it opened in 1970, and the first cubs to be born in 14 years.
Curator of Cotswold Wildlife Park, Jamie Craig, said: 'We have not bred lions for many years at Cotswold Wildlife Park so it is an exciting time for the mammal keepers.
'Our young pair are proving to be exemplary parents and, although there was some trepidation when we reintroduced the lioness and her cubs to the male, all went without a hitch and they can now be seen playing happily families in their enclosure.'
Asiatic lions, which are found in the wild in India, are one of the world's rarest big cats, with wild population numbers having declined drastically over the last century, almost to the point of extinction.
Historic: The three adorable cubs are the first ever triplets to be born at the park since it opened in 1970, and the first cubs to be born in 14 years
Rare: Asiatic lions, which are found in the wild in India, are one of the world's rarest big cats. Pictured, one of the cubs being groomed by her mother
Dwindling: Wild Asiatic lion population have declined drastically over the last century, almost to the point of extinction
Fluffy: The cubs are just months old. One of the lion cub triplets is seen by a tree (left) and another fluffy cub is cuddling up to mum (right)
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