After months in isolation, Zoo Miami is officially introducing a lioness and her five cubs, including one she adopted after her sister's death.
Kashifa, a 4-year-old lioness, and the cubs made their official exhibit debut Thursday morning.
The lioness gave birth to her second set of cubs, one female and three males, on March 6. Her first litter, born on Sept. 24, suffered health issues, and two males died as a result. Kashifa rejected the third cub, a female, who was sent to the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore where she was successfully introduced to a new litter.
Since March, Kashifa has been in isolation with her new cubs to make sure they are all properly bonded. Kashifa has been an excellent mother to the new litter and the cubs have thrived, according to zoo spokesperson Ron Magill.
Kashifa has also adopted a fifth cub, a male named Kwasi, who was born to Kashifa's sister Asha in December. Asha died after being introduced to the public with her cub in March due to complication from a veterinary procedure.
Kwasi was introduced to Kashifa and her litter after his mother's death, and Kashifa has since adopted him and raised him as her own.
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If all goes well, the cubs will be on exhibit this weekend.
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