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Lioness Kills And Eats Her Two Newborn Cubs Leaving Zoo Staff Horrified

Lioness Kills And Eats Her Two Newborn Cubs Leaving Zoo Staff Horrified

They were the first cubs to be born at the zoo in 15 years, but after four days of being alive, they've been savagely eaten whole.

Stewart Perrie

Stewart Perrie

When a lioness gave birth to two cubs at a German zoo four days ago, it was hailed a miracle because it was the first time such an event had happened in 15 years.

Everyone was buzzing that the Leipzig Zoo was about to have its next generation of lion cubs for tourists to gawk at.

However, things have taken a dramatic and, quite frankly, grisly end.

Kigali had only given birth to the cubs four days ago.
Leipzig Zoo/Facebook

Apparently the cub's mum, Kigali, decided to kill them and eat them whole, much to the shock and horror of zoo staff.

The zoo has posted a message on its Facebook page explaining the situation.

"Our two lion cubs are dead. We are shocked and sad. Until last night Kigali had done everything right and looked after her first offspring," the statement read.

"The lioness and her puppy evidently did well. Also in the evening hours yesterday, the inexperienced mother cared for her boys, before she suddenly ate the two young animals during grooming one after the other completely.

"An autopsy and thus examination of the juveniles can not take place because of this.

Leipzig Zoo/Facebook

"Kigali makes a calm impression today and had already eaten regularly during the day yesterday. She initially remains in the rear, before she leaves the mother's room in the coming days and is re-socialized with the cat Majo."

Now, if you're thinking that is batshit and would never happen in the real world, you'd be wrong.

Apparently this type of savagery isn't unheard of.

Zoocheck Canada director Julie Woodyer told Big Cat Rescue: "I think it's fair to say that in most cases of infanticide, it's related to stressors, whether it's in the wild or in captivity.

Kigali and her mate Majo.
Leipzig Zoo/Facebook

"One of the primary reasons polar bears would kill their own cubs in the wild is because there isn't enough food even for them to eat.

"Once you remove those stressors these problems shouldn't exist, but they do because zoos have created different kinds of stressors for the animals because they haven't evolved to cope in that small environment. Polar bears are wide ranging carnivores that don't do well when you confine them."

No doubt animal activists will seize on this as an example of why it's bad to keep creatures locked up in zoo.

While animals, in most cases, get fed more in zoos than in the wild, it'll be up to Leipzig Zoo to work out what caused this specific incident.

Featured Image Credit:

Topics: Community, Animals