Caldwell Zoo Lion Cubs Have Names

TYLER — Caldwell Zoo announces that all its new lion cubs now have names. The zoo invited everyone to help name the three young females. The one male was named “Doc” in honor of the zoo’s staff veterinarian, who died this winter. Out of eleven names, people were asked to vote for three through Facebook or email, or in person at the zoo’s front entry. The three winning names are Zuri, which means beautiful; Amira, which means princess; and Malika, which means angel. With the warmer weather and the fact that the lion cubs are ready for some adventure, the furry foursome are given the option each day to be outside at 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. Zoo visitors are welcome to stop by the lion exhibit to see the cubs playing outside or see them in the lion house on the zoo’s television monitor.

On January 22nd, Njeri, the zoo’s female African lion, gave birth to five lion cubs. One youngster died shortly after birth, but the remaining four — three females and one male — are sid to be doing very well under the watchful eye of their mom. The proud parents are mom Njeri (name is Kenyan for “daughter of a warrior”), who was born July 25, 2011, and was donated to Caldwell Zoo by the Milwaukee County Zoo; and dad Ayotunde (name means “joy has returned” in Yoruba) who was born July 28, 2011, and comes to Tyler from the Reid Park Zoo in Tucson.