An Atlas lion cub is born in Rabat, a sign of hope for the species

The Rabat national zoo recently announced the birth of an Atlas lion cub, an emblematic and endangered species.

This lion cub, born on July 26, 2024, is the first of its kind this year and is part of a breeding program launched in 2022. It is named Azaghar and is the result of a mating between Massa, a lioness from 13 years old, and Layt, an 8 year old lion.

The zoo, which is home to a large population of Atlas lions, plays a key role in the conservation of this subspecies, now considered extinct in the wild in North Africa. The birth of this lion cub marks a crucial moment in efforts to preserve this rare population.

The birth and care process was meticulously monitored by the zoo’s veterinary teams. Saad Azizi, head of the garden’s veterinary and zoological department, explains: “We have a lot of challenges to overcome. The first challenge is the moment of birth, how to isolate the lion cub with its mother from the rest of the group. Then we must provide maternal care to the mother. This care is decisive for the viability of the lion cub. The final step is to reintroduce the mother and her young cub to the rest of the group. » This special attention is essential for the survival of the lion cub and its integration into the family group.

At three months old, Azaghar, who is now weaned and starting to eat meat, is thriving in his enclosure with his mother and another lioness. However, he has not yet met his father. The zoo continues to monitor its progress closely.

The birth of Azaghar is seen as a significant step forward for the conservation of this species, as Saad Azizi points out: “The birth of the new Atlas lion is a step forward, towards the conservation not only of the lion, but towards the conservation role of the National Zoological Garden of Rabat, which counts among its staff a certain number of endangered species at internationally. »

Since its opening in 2012, the Rabat national zoo has recorded the birth of 18 Atlas lions, the last birth of which before Azaghar took place in 2022. Currently, the zoo is home to 33 Atlas lionsthus constituting an essential group for conservation efforts of this subspecies, formerly present in the Atlas Mountains and North Africa. This birth is therefore a source of hope for the future of the species, in danger of disappearing.

Atlas lions were once found in areas from Morocco to Egypt, but hunting and habitat loss contributed to their extinction in the wild. The Rabat Zoo, in partnership with international institutions, continues to play a vital role in the preservation of this unique species.