The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore is about to introduce its newest stars, a pair of recently-born lions that don't have names yet.
The two cubs, called "brother" and "sister" by their handlers, currently weigh 20 pounds, according to WJZ, and their rapid growth has excited zoo authorities, since they're considered to be a part of the collection of mammals born in captivity in Maryland.
WJZ points out that the mother of the two cubs died giving birth, and only two of four cubs born managed to survive, and the brothers are being carefully observed by zoo breeders who have taken extreme precautions to keep them alive.
In an interview with WJZ, the manager of Maryland Zoo, Erin Cantwell, said that the latest tests on the cubs revealed that they have a weak immunological system and they must be cared for even more before they're introduced to the public.
Cantwell said that at their two months of age the cubs will be vaccinated and blood samples will be taken to evaluate their health.
"They're more and more active, more playful. When they were born, they only slept and ate and now they're developing personalities," the manager of the zoo said, detailing that the male is "a gentle giant" and the female is the boss. "She's on fire! She's really entertaining. She's always the first to check things out. She's always the one starting the fights between them."
The cubs are growing healthily; however, they still don't have official names, so zoo authorities launched an initiative for citizens to vote between five proposed names.
- Luke and Leia (Star Wars protagonists)
- Bart and Maggie (The Simpsons characters)
- Kulu (Giant) and Madoa (Spotted)
- Lear (King Lear from the Shakespeare tragedy) and Circe (Daughter of the sun in Greek mythology, a sorceress known for her ability to turn men into animals)
Vote here.
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