Wildlife park's 'surprise' over lions' inbreeding

Aysa the lion became pregnant despite being on contraception

The "shock" birth of three lion cubs in captivity was the result of an incestuous mating between a mother and her son, it has been revealed.

The Yorkshire Wildlife Park (YWP) rescued a family of lions from Ukraine and the mother became pregnant while on contraception before the two-year-old male had had a successful vasectomy.

The Doncaster-based attraction has been criticised by visitors over the "against the odds" event as inbreeding can lead to health defects and abnormalities, according to wildlife experts.

However, the YWP said it did not separate the lioness and her older cubs because it would have "compromised the welfare" of the new litter's father, Teddi.

The three cubs are said to be doing well, said Yorkshire Wildlife Park

It is thought the mother, Aysa, became pregnant between two vasectomy procedures her son Teddi underwent towards the end of 2024.

Aysa and her first set of cubs, with Teddi among them, arrived at the park last March after a journey from a holding facility in Poland.

They were reunited after they had spent nine months apart from each other without any sunlight or stimulation from the outside world.

The park's director of animals, Dr Charlotte MacDonald, said: "It was a very pleasant surprise but one I would rather not have had.

"People might ask why we didn't keep the males separate from the girls if we thought that this might be a risk.

"But it's because they are a social species."

She added: "You've got to weigh up the balance in terms of the type of contraception and everything that you chose in order to keep these animals together and they had such a rough start in life, this little family.

"To split them up again would have just been horrendous."

Keepers suspected four-year-old Aysa was pregnant for a while but said it was difficult to be sure as she already had a "saggy tummy".

Most contraceptives available to zookeepers were only 99% effective, said Dr MacDonald.

"So, against all the odds, it would appear that he's managed to catch the 1% that didn't work", she added.

Aysa was "very attentive and motherly" to her cubs, who were born on 24 March, and all appear healthy, according to the park.

Back in 2014, five lions were destroyed at Longleat Safari Park in Wiltshire because they had serious genetic defects caused by inbreeding.

The attraction said at the time it had no choice but to put down a lioness and her cubs because they displayed "odd aggressive behaviour" due to "poorly managed genetic history" prior to their arrival.

The sex of the cubs has not been determined yet as they have not left Aysa's side

Bex Brown, section head of carnivores at Yorkshire Wildlife Park, said: "(Their experiences in) Kyiv must have been traumatic for them, but here it's as nice and comfortable and peaceful as it can be.

"The older siblings are currently separated from the newborn cubs but the future plan is for them to all live together."

Dr MacDonald added: "We have absolutely no further intention of breeding any more lions at Yorkshire Wildlife Park.

"They will have a good life here."

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