Monday, August 18, 2014

The amazing moment a fierce lioness rescues her little cub from falling into a moat

What a mama!

  • Lioness Kashifa, at Zoo Miami, won't let anything happen to her five cubs
  • Her pride includes hew nephew Kwasi, whom she adopted after the death of her sister Asha
By MailOnline Reporter
Stunning footage captured by a 10-year-old girl shows the incredible moment when lioness Kashifa rescued one of her cubs from falling into a moat at Zoo Miami.
Kashifa, who has five cubs in her pride, is seen in the video carefully going down a steep embankment and grabbing the 4-month-old cub by its back, slowly rescuing the little guy from harm's way.
Onlookers at Zoo Miami held a collective breath while mama lion brought her cub back up — and broke out in cheers when she rescued him.

cub
cub
a

Mama lion Kashifa doesn't joke around when it comes to protecting her cubs. Here she goes down a moat to rescue one of her little babies who fell down while playing with his siblings



Kashifa watches after a total of five cubs, all under one year of age
Kashifa watches after a total of five cubs, all under one year of age

Afterward, the rest of the pride welcomed the cub back with comforting licks, said 10-year-old Amanda Carmeli, who captured the footage, WPLG reported. 'The zoo is set up so the animals aren’t in cages,' spokesman Ron Magill told ABC News, pointing out that this isn't the first time one of the cubs has fallen into the moat.

'They’re out in open-moated exhibits so there’s no barrier to prevent them from going into the moat,' he added. 'It was always a concern of ours that the cubs may fall in the moat, so before they were let out in the exhibit they were each swim-tested.'

Kashifa had four cubs of her own last year. She began looking after her nephew Kwasi when her sister, Asha, died a few months after giving birth
Kashifa had four cubs of her own last year. She began looking after her nephew Kwasi when her sister, Asha, died a few months after giving birth


cubcubs

Zoo Miami last year celebrated the birth of lion cubs for the first time in its 33 years. Staff say that the cubs are quite happy playing around in their habitat, though every once in a while one falls into the moat — requiring a rescue from mama


One of Kashifa's cubs scratches his mom's back while she keeps a watchful eye on the rest of her pride
One of Kashifa's cubs scratches his mom's back while she keeps a watchful eye on the rest of her pride

Kashifa has been caring for the cubs since last September, when Zoo Miami celebrated the birth of three lions for the first time in its 33-year history.
A total of five new lions were born at the zoo by December, when Kwasi was born to Kashifa's sister, Asha. But tragedy struck a few months after, when Asha died.


Zoo staff say that Kashifa is a fierce lioness, always watching to make sure nothing happens to her five cubs
Zoo staff say that Kashifa is a fierce lioness, always watching to make sure nothing happens to her five cubs


The big-hearted Kashifa took her nephew into her own pride and has been taking care of Kwasi ever since.  'We were confident that the lion was a good mother,' Magill told ABC News. 'She had demonstrated to us before that she would go into the water to rescue her cubs.'

No comments: