Just recently, three cub lions have been born in the Akagera National Park in Rwanda adding to the seven family members to make a total of ten members in a lion family at present. The three were spotted with their mother and are the first ones to be born in the park after a period of two decades. The cubs are estimated to be six weeks old according to the Akagera national park management through their twitter handle.
According to the wildlife park managers, the cubs were born by the 11 year old mother called Shema, one of the seven lions that were reintroduced to Akagera national park from south Africa in June last year, the old five years Ntwari is the father to the born cubs and is one of the two males in the group from south Africa.
The birth of the three cub lions in the Akagera national park boosts the county’s (Rwanda) efforts to restore the lion population that was wiped out in the year 1994 during the genocide incident by the Hutu against the Tusti, according to Akagera’s tourism and marketing manager, Sarah Hall.
During the early 1990’s during and after the genocide, the park was left unmanaged, poachers and herders took advantage of that by poisoning Rwanda’s remaining lions by then. Also, after the genocide, the returning refugees took over much of the park reducing its size by more than half. The portion left was not enough for the remaining wild life in the entire national park leading to more loss of wild life.
According to the African parks, there are indicators for more cubs to be born in the national park as the dominant male in the group (Ntwari) has been seen mating with other two lionesses in the same family. Lions breed quite quickly and is a reason why few were introduced in the park to start with having the hopes of them breeding quickly and increasing at a high rate in the short period of time. Because of the adequate genetic diversity of female lions (lionesses) in the Akagera national park and the un related males means more cubs are to be born and there is no need for inbreeding in the national park at present.
More still, the African parks cautioned that lion cubs are so vulnerable especially in their first few months because at this time, they are attacked by predators and have to completely rely on their mothers. Lion cubs need great attention and care by their mothers and the person responsible for example the ranges and wardens of the Akagera nationalpark to ensure good health and security of the cubs from external attacks that can cause their death.
In addition, the five lionesses (female lions ) that were reintroduced in the Akagera national park were donated by the beyond phinda private game reserve whereas the two males were donated by the Tembe elephant reserve and Ezewmvlo KZN wildlife protected area. These game reserves are all located in the South African province of kwazulu in natal. The total of male and female lions in the Akagera national park was seven members before the birth of the three lion cubs.
The endangered lion species in the Akagera national park have a lot of significance to Rwandan history as these species have contributed to the growth and development of Rwanda’s tourism. Since the lions were reintroduced, the number of travelers taking wildlife safaris in Akagera National Park is steadily increasing and some few visitors have got the chance to see these cats! The last lions in the Akagera national park came 15 years since the last ones were seen in the national park.