Singapore Zoo Welcomes Country’s First Artificially Conceived Lion Cub Named ‘Simba’ | Watch

Describing the cub, zoo officials informed that Simba was both "healthy and inquisitive".

New Delhi: In a first, the Singapore Zoo has welcomed a lion cub following artificial insemination after its father Mufasa died during a fertility procedure. Both son and father were purposefully given their respective name to draw a parallel between them and Disney characters from the movie ‘The Lion King’.

Describing the cub, zoo officials informed that Simba was both “healthy and inquisitive”. However, his father Mufasa struggled to mate when he was alive and the zoo authorities took the decision to euthanise him on ‘humane grounds’.

Mufasa’s semen was collected and stored in a bid to continue his bloodline. “Semen collection while Mufasa was under anesthesia was a secondary procedure, albeit an important one, to ensure his bloodline continues after his passing,” a zoo worker said.

Simba was born on October 23 last year. His mother, Kayla, suffered from suspected inflammation of her mammary glands and struggled to nurse him initially. Zookeepers provided assisted feeding to Simba.

A video of the whole process and Simba’s playful activities was shared on Facebook by the Wildlife Reserves Singapore. In the video, little Simba is seen drinking milk from a bottle, playing with a ball amongst other things.

WATCH: A lion cub named Simba was born following artificial insemination, at Wildlife Reserves Singapore pic.twitter.com/JYJNyN8BwE

— Reuters (@Reuters) January 31, 2021

It is rare for lions to be conceived via artificial insemination. The procedure was first carried out successfully in 2018 when two cubs were born in South Africa.