The Asiatic lion news archive - 1997

Stories relating to the Asiatic lion and updates on the captive breeding programme from 1997. This page is updated on an occasional basis, to provide information about events within the Asiatic lion Breeding Programme and in-the-field conservation projects.

DATELINE : August 1st 1997
Four cubs born at Chester Zoo:

On August 1st Chester Zoo's adult lioness, Chandani, gave birth to a litter of four cubs: one male and three female. This is the third litter born at Chester Zoo and takes the total number of animals within the European captive breeding programme to 36.

DATELINE : August 1997
Launch of the Asiatic Lion Information Centre:

The Asiatic Lion Information Centre was launched on the Internet in August 1997, as the first web site dedicated to the conservation of the Asian lion. It is hoped that in time the ALIC will become a centre for information about Asian lion conservation.

As the European Breeding Programme (EEP) expands, information will be posted here. Also, if further breeding programmes are started it is hoped to include information about those here as well.

DATELINE : July 1997
Rhenen Zoo joins Asiatic lion EEP:

Rhenen Zoo, in Holland, became the thirteenth member of the European Asiatic lion Breeding Programme when it received a lioness from Zurich Zoo this month. The young lioness will soon be joined by a partner, most likely one of the adolescent males from Chester Zoo.

The three young males born at Chester Zoo in May 1996 will all be moving to new homes both to increase the number of zoos within the programme and also to make room for Chester's next generation of lions: Chandani is again expecting and is due to give birth in late July or early August.

DATELINE : Jan 26, 1997 - London Zoo
Three Asiatic lion cubs born:

London Zoo celebrated the start of 1997 with the birth of three Asiatic lion cubs on January 26th. The cubs, one male and two female, are the third litter to have been successfully raised from London's adult lioness, Ruchi.

London received a new male, Kamal, in the summer of 1996 after their original male, Arfur, had died earlier in the year. As the new male was not yet sexually mature it was decided to try to mate Ruchi with Jake, the adult male at Chester Zoo.

The loan of Jake to London (where he was originally housed) by Chester proved a successful experiment in another way: Chester had had a litter of cubs born in May 1996 and keepers at Chester were not sure how the father would react to them, after being away for some time.

Precautions were taken at Chester Zoo on Jake's return and he was kept separate from the mother and cubs for the first night. Keeper's concerns were quickly laid to rest as it became obvious that there would be no problem reintroducing the two sides of the family. All of the lions were released into their compound the following morning without incident.