BUFFALO — Tobias, the three-month-old African lion cub will be making his official public debut at the Buffalo Zoo this Sunday, Father’s Day.
It’s going to be a proud Father’s Day for Tiberius, the three-and- a-half- year-old male African lion, as his first offspring is planned to make his public debut this Sunday, June 19 at the Buffalo Zoo.
On April 27, the Zoo announced that on March 5 of this year, a male African lion cub was born to first-time parents Lelei (6) and Tiberius. The cub, later named Tobias by his keepers, is the first lion cub to be reared at the Zoo in twenty-five years.
“The decision to commit to a schedule for the public is based on several factors,” according to Zoo president & CEO, Donna M. Fernandes, Ph.D., “we wanted to be sure of successful introductions between the father and the mother and cub so that they could be presented as a family. In addition, we had to be sure that the cub’s ability to navigate the exhibit had developed to an acceptable level. We are thrilled that the public will now have the opportunity to appreciate him as we do.”
Over the last few weeks, off-hours, keepers slowly began introducing the cub to the exhibit space, followed by his mother, and finally his father. The cub currently weighs 13.7 kg (30 lbs.).
Beginning this Sunday, June 19, and barring inclement weather or unforeseen circumstances that would be announced via the Zoo’s social media pages, the cub will be in the lion exhibit daily from the Zoo’s opening at 10 a.m. through at least 2 p.m.
All WNY is made possible thanks to coffee and sleep deprivation.
We appreciate your readership. We like money, too.
