Bhubaneswar: A lioness today gave birth to five cubs at Nandankanan Zoological Park (NZP) in Odisha capital here.

Nine-year-old lioness Bijli has given birth to five cubs at NZP, informed the zoo authorities today.

However, the zoo authorities are yet to conduct the sex determination of the cubs.

Bijli had been brought to NZP from Indore Zoo in Madhya Pradesh in 2020. It is the fourth litter from Bijli. This time the litter got sired by lion Samrat, they said.

Bijli is taking care of the cubs properly. The mother and its cubs are under CCTV surveillance, revealed the zoo authorities.  

The lioness had its first litter in 2021. Of the three cubs, two died a few days after their birth while the third one was hand reared by the zoo employees.

Bijli had given birth to a single cub in its second litter in March, 2022. The cub was hand reared at NZP.

Bijli had its third litter in November, 2022. Of the five cubs, one died while the remaining four were reared by the lioness itself. Later, two of Bijli’s cubs were handed over to Alipore Zoo in West Bengal, informed the authorities.