The African lion cub born at the Santa Barbara Zoo on November 5 finally has a name: Pauline.
Pauline’s name was selected by her Premier Foster Feeder sponsors, the Mozilo family, who also sponsor the cub’s parents, Felicia and Ralph. Pauline has had a precarious first few weeks of life after her birth at the beginning of the month, but she’s doing much better now.
On November 19, Pauline became critically ill, as she was not getting enough milk from Felicia. This caused Pauline to become hypothermic and hypoglycemic, so the zoo’s animal care team moved her to the veterinary hospital for intensive care, where she has been in the incubator, receiving fluid therapy, and has been learning to nurse formula from a bottle.
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“We’re happy and relieved to know the cub has recovered and is doing well,” said Rich Block, president and CEO of the Santa Barbara Zoo. “I’d like to acknowledge our incredible animal care team who expertly handled the birth and the cub’s critical care needs, and continue to provide around-the-clock care for the cub. This is just the kind of warm and fuzzy news we think everybody can appreciate right now, and we look forward to introducing the new cub to everyone soon.”
Pauline will remain in the hospital for a little longer. She will then move back to the lion holding area so that she can be in close proximity to her parents, but she will continue to be bottle-fed until she is weaned. Pauline is the first cub for both Felicia (two years old) and Ralph (five years old), who arrived at the zoo this past May.
Photo Credit: S.B. Zoo