Fort Worth Zoo welcomes 'surprise' lion cub: 'We've been keeping a secret'

The Fort Worth Zoo in Texas announced the arrival of its first lion cub since 2015 — a male cub named Moja. 

"Surprise! We've been keeping a secret," the zoo wrote in a Jan. 11, 2024, post on its Facebook page.

"Meet the newest (and arguably the cutest) little addition to the lion pride!" 

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The cub was born on Oct. 20, 2023, said the Fort Worth Zoo, to mother, Saba, and father, Jabulani. 

His name means "one" in Swahili, the zoo said.

The name "seemed fitting, as he is Saba's first cub," said the zoo. 

He is also the first cub to be born at the Fort Worth Zoo's "Predators of Asia & Africa" lion habitat, the organization said. 

The exhibit opened in June 2023.

Moja's parents, along with another female lion, Abagabae, were born in South Africa, said the Fort Worth Zoo. 

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The zoo is part of a lion breeding program with other zoos in North America. 

When Saba, Jabulani and Abagabae arrived at the zoo in 2012, they introduced "a new bloodline of lions into North America, varying the gene pool," the zoo said.

"The birth of Moja is both a conservation success and another advancement in diversifying the African lion bloodline in the United States," said the Fort Worth Zoo.

Moja now weighs 16 pounds, the zoo noted in a release. 

That's nearly six times as much as he weighed at four days old when he tipped the scales at just 2.7 pounds. 

"For the last few months, Moja has been behind the scenes growing and bonding with [his] mom, while keepers have kept a close eye on his development and well-being," said the zoo.

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Moja has yet to meet his father and the other female adult lion at the zoo, said the Fort Worth Zoo — but this will happen "in the near future" as he continues to grow.

For now, the focus is ensuring that Moja continues to meet milestones and grows bigger and stronger. 

"The littlest lion is starting to practice some innate behaviors, as he often plays with Saba’s tail as well as chews on her hind quarters to imitate predator-prey behaviors," said the Fort Worth Zoo.

Additionally, his mother Saba "is exhibiting ideal maternal demeanors, including allowing frequent nursing opportunities, and bathing, playing and carrying the cub as she moves about the den."

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It's not yet clear when the public will be able to see the Fort Worth Zoo's newest arrival, due to a variety of factors. 

"Because this is the first cub born in the new Predators of Asia & Africa lion habitat, zookeepers want to be sure Moja is big and strong enough to navigate the new space, including the water features," said the zoo. 

The weather, too, will play a role in when Moja emerges from "behind the scenes" at the zoo. 

"As he continues to grow, the animal care team will determine when a public debut can take place," said the Fort Worth Zoo. 

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