Awww! What cute little cubs!
John, Fahari, Zuri, Lelie, Baruti, Aslan, and Lusaka are the seven baby lion cubs from two litters that have made their debut at National Zoo in Washington, D.C.
A first grade class in Virginia had the honor of naming one of the seven cubs Lelie through the Name a Cub: Cam Contest.
The name is Afrikaans for “lily,” which are a common flower at Kruger Park, a South African national park that protects 2,000 African lions.
As for the name Aslan, yes, it is named after the lion in the Chronicles of Narnia franchised by the actors themselves!
The African lion is considered a “vulnerable” species due mostly to habitat loss.
While they used to be found across the globe, most are only now found in Africa.
It’s both wild and sad to imagine that these magnificent creatures existed all over the world.
Let’s hope conservation efforts by the National Zoo and others around the globe will help lions continue to thrive in Africa!
[Image via Getty Images.]