Lionesses to help bring new era of conservation at Whipsnade Zoo
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Zookeepers are hoping the arrival of two new lionesses will mark the beginning of a new era of conservation at Whipsnade Zoo.
African lions Waka and Winta were moved here from Antwerp Zoo earlier this month, to their new 'queendom' at the conservation zoo.
They'll soon be joined by young male Malik, from Neuwied Zoo in Germany, in the hope that they will mate and form a new pride for the first time in decades.
Waka has been busy exploring her new surroundings at Whipsnade Zo
It's been 17 years since Whipsnade Zoo last had African lion cubs, so fingers crossed we won't have too long to wait.
Over the next few weeks, zookeepers will get to know the lionesses and their likes and dislikes while preparing for Malik's arrival.
Zookeeper Sarah McGregor said: "We can already see that Waka is very confident and has led the way in investigating their new home in the Dunstable Downs, while her sister Winta is little bit more cautious and has sometimes needed an extra push from her sister to explore everything Whipsnade has to offer.
"The girls have a very strong relationship and love playing in the long grass together - we can't wait to get to know them more as time goes by."
Why is creating a new pride of lions so important?
Winta has been taking it easy since she arrived at the zoo, and gradually getting used to her new surroundings
Waka, Winta and Malik are part of the European Endangered Breeding Programme (EEP) for the Vulnerable African lion.
This programme aims to ensure there are strong populations of the species in conservation zoos across Europe, from different genetic backgrounds so that if one is threatened others can still survive.
A pride is a group of lions that live together or in smaller groups, meeting to hunt or share a meal. Each pride has its own territory that it defends from other lions or animals outside the group.
Three quarters of African lion populations are sadly declining in the wild, driven by loss of their habitat, hunting, as well as conflict with humans and other wildlife.
ZSL, the international conservation charity behind Whipsnade Zoo, is working across Africa to try to help endangered species, to try and make sure they can continue to survive in the future.
The team are hoping the arrival of the 23-month-old lionesses and new pride's formation will help boost numbers of the iconic species.
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