Hans News Service New Delhi

Freshroars are set to echo through the Delhi zoo as Asiatic lioness Mahagauri has given birth to three cubs, adding a fresh chapter to the zoo’s conservation efforts and marking a rare repeat breeding success after her earlier litter of five cubs last year, of which two survived.

The three Asiatic lion cubs were born on Tuesday at the National Zoological Park to the breeding pair of Mahagauri and Maheshwar. The newborns are currently kept with their mother in a secure maternity enclosure, zoo Director Sanjeet Kumar said. The official said the cubs are being provided a calm and undisturbed environment crucial for their early development, with veterinary and animal care teams monitoring their health through CCTV surveillance and regular observation.

The successful breeding of Mahagauri and Maheshwar is considered significant as the pair had earlier produced two healthy cubs – Kartik and Karni – on April 27, 2025.

Mahagauri became the first lioness at the Delhi zoo since 2009 to conceive again within around a year of giving birth, a rare occurrence in the facility’s recent breeding history, Kumar said.

According to him, lion breeding at the zoo remained stable until 2009, with cubs born every few years. However, the programme witnessed a sharp decline thereafter, with births becoming increasingly infrequent and nearly coming to a standstill at one point.