Pittsburgh Zoo announces the birth of brand-new lion cub

The Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium announced that a female African lion cub was born on April 5. 

According to the zoo, the new cub is expected to make her debut to the public in the late summer. 

"The cub is doing great and exceeding milestones," said Assistant Curator of Mammals Karen Vacco. "Scarlett is an excellent mother
and has been caring for the cub well. Animal care staff are carefully monitoring healthy nursing patterns and normal maternal behavior." 

The new cub was born to nine-year-old parents, mother Scarlett and father Hondo. As of today, Scarlett and her newborn are in a maternity den where they're expected to bond in the quiet surroundings. 

The zoo said that putting the mother and her new cub in the maternity den is similar to natural behavior when the lioness seeks seclusion to shelter their young until they are strong enough to join the pride. 

Welcoming the new cub to the zoo is being hailed as a major victory for the Association of Zoos & Aquarium's Lion Species Survival Plan, which is a nationwide effort to ensure genetic diversity among animals in human care. African lions, due to threats of habitat loss, conflict with humans, and declining prey, are considered vulnerable in the wild. 

The Pittsburgh Zoo plans to share news and progress of the cub's development on its social media pages throughout the summer.