Archive · 19 Aug 2026
Rejected Lion Cubs Simba and Suri Find New Home
Simba and Suri are two young lion cubs at a zoo in Thiruvananthapuram.
Their mother, Nyla, did not care for them after they were born.
Zoo workers and veterinarians became their caregivers.
They fed the cubs six times every day.
The cubs also received special milk from France while they were growing.
They became sick but were treated and recovered.
Now they are healthy and living in an enclosure for visitors to see.
The zoo is also expecting two zebras and planning improvements for visitors.
Lion cubs Simba and Suri were released into an exhibition enclosure at Thiruvananthapuram zoo on Wednesday.
Their mother, Nyla, rejected them after giving birth, so zoo staff and veterinarians hand-reared them for six-and-a-half months.
The cubs were fed every four hours and received specialised milk products imported from France during weaning.
Both cubs recovered from an illness and are now healthy and being fed exclusively beef.
The zoo expects two zebras to arrive and plans glass-panel enclosure upgrades as part of its Onam attractions.
- Who
- Lion cubs Simba and Suri, their parents Nyla and Leo, and the staff of Thiruvananthapuram zoo.
- What
- Simba and Suri were released into an exhibition enclosure after being hand-reared by zoo staff and veterinarians.
- When
- Wednesday, August 19; the cubs had been hand-reared for six-and-a-half months.
- Where
- Thiruvananthapuram zoo, Kerala.
- Why
- Their mother rejected them and reportedly had reduced maternal drive and insufficient breast milk, requiring zoo staff to intervene.
- Cubs
- Simba, a male, and Suri, a female
- Age at release
- Six-and-a-half months
- Parents
- Nyla and Leo
- Care period
- Six-and-a-half months of hand-rearing
- Feeding schedule
- Every four hours, six times daily
- Specialised milk
- Imported from France during weaning
- Planned additions
- Two zebras were expected to arrive by Thursday noon