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Zoo Shows Off Baby White Lions

Record-breaking number of rare cubs born on the same day

By Rob Quinn, Newser Staff

Posted Jul 16, 2008 6:02 AM CDT

(Newser) – The world's population of just 200 white lions leaped by seven in a single day when twin lionesses gave birth in June, Der Spiegel reports, and the German safari park where they were born has now unveiled the extremely rare cubs. But while one new mom took to motherhood with zeal, the other showed little interest, forcing zookeepers to hand-raise her four cubs. White lions are a mutation of a sub-species extinct in the wild.

"We carefully observed the mothers' behavior in the first 24 hours," said the head of the safari park. "Kibo was touchingly attentive to her cubs, feeding them and cuddling them to keep them warm. We tried to give Mawensi time to get used to her new role as a mother."

[Images (3)]

[Videos (1)]

A rare white lion cub yawns as three lion cubs are presented to the media at the Safaripark in Schloss Holte-Stukenbrock, western Germany, Monday, July 14, 2008. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Keeper Casey Padey bottle feeds 'Makulu', a rare white lion cub (Panthera leo) which was successfully bred as part of the Mogo Zoo's internationally renowned breeding programme, on April 17, 2008. (Getty Images)

Three rare white lion cubs, which will be raised by keepers with the bottle, are presented to the media at the Safaripark in Schloss Holte-Stukenbrock, western Germany, Monday, July 14, 2008. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

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Three rare white lion cubs born last month in the Schloss Holte-Stukenbrock safari park in Germany were shown to the public and the media for the first time on Monday. (AssociatedPress)

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Zoo Shows Off Baby White Lions