It’s rare to get to see footage of a lion’s birth. The female lion seeks privacy and isolation after realizing she’s pregnant and goes into hiding to give birth. However, one ranger at South Africa’s Mala Mala Game Reserve recently witnessed this special event in person and managed to capture it on camera.
Back in November, ranger Mrisho Lugenge went out on a morning to drive through the reserve with some guests who were hoping to see lions. After leaving the camp, Lugenge and his colleagues spotted lion tracks and started following them. Shortly after, they spotted a lone lioness.
According to Lugenge, the group watched the lioness from afar and initially thought she was grooming herself. However, they soon realized that wasn’t the case, as the animal turned around and had a cub in her mouth.
“We decided not to follow her, as we thought that might have added extra pressure on her,” he explained. “Hopefully, this will allow her to rest and tend to her young cub without undue stress.”
Lugenge later shared the footage with the YouTube channel Latest Sightings, which uploaded an edited version on the streaming platform. The video quickly became viral, shooting over 3.2 million views in a couple of weeks.
After giving birth, the female lion usually keeps the cubs in hiding to protect them from danger. She takes care of them for up to three months before reintroducing them to the pride.
