Baby New Year: Lion Cub Born at the Fort Worth Zoo

The first lion cub born at the Fort Worth Zoo since 2015

FORT WORTH, Texas – The Fort Worth Zoo is proud to announce the birth of a male lion cub; the first since 2015. The cub was born on Oct. 20, 2023 at 5:37 p.m. to mother Saba and father Jabulani. This is Saba’s first cub, so the name Moja (mow-jah), Swahili for the number “one,” seemed fitting. For the last few months, Moja has been behind the scenes growing and bonding with Mom, while keepers have kept a close eye on his development and wellbeing.

At 4 days old, Moja weighed just 2.7 pounds and now tips the scales at 16 pounds. The littlest lion is starting to practice some innate behaviors, as he often plays with Saba’s tail as well as chews on her hindquarters to imitate predator-prey behaviors. As a first-time mother, Saba is exhibiting ideal maternal demeanors, including allowing frequent nursing opportunities, bathing, playing with and carrying the cub as she moves about the den. Moja hasn’t met Jabulani or the other adult female, Abagabe, just yet, but introductions will be planned in the near future as the cub continues to grow.

The Zoo is part of a cooperative breeding program among North American zoos to help ensure a genetically diverse and thriving population of lions. The Zoo’s adult lions, Jabulani, Saba and Abagabe, were born at a South African wildlife facility and came to the Fort Worth Zoo in 2012. When this pride made the Zoo their home, it introduced a new bloodline of lions into North America, varying the gene pool. African lions are a vulnerable population according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List. The IUCN also notes that the population is continually decreasing. The birth of Moja is both a conservation success and another advancement in diversifying the African lion bloodline in the United States.

Because this is the first cub born in the new Predators of Asia & Africa lion habitat, zookeepers want to be sure Moja is big and strong enough to navigate the new space, including the water features. As he continues to grow, the animal care team will determine when a public debut can take place. Temperatures and shifts in weather will also dictate the outdoor schedule. Until then, keep an eye on the Zoo’s social media accounts and website for the most up-to-date information, photos and videos.

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