Pittsburgh Zoo’s new lion cub won’t be public yet

Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium welcomed a new female lion cub on April 5, and the zoo says the cub and her mother will remain in a private den for bonding and health checkups. The zoo is aiming for a likely late-summer public debut—once the cub shows strong mobilit

For now, the newest face at the Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium is still learning in private.

A video shared by the zoo shows a lion cub grooming itself as it begins building the behaviors it will need to join the rest of the herd. The zoo welcomed the new female cub on April 5. and she remains unnamed as Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium holds her and her mother—Scarlett—back from the public while they bond in a private den.

The timing is deliberate: the zoo says the cub will likely make her public debut in late summer, once her mobility skills are strong enough for her to be placed into the public lion habitat. Until then, adult lions are still out and about and can be seen by zoo visitors.

Inside a quiet den

As of May 20. the lion cub and Scarlett were residing in a private maternity den away from the public. with veterinarians routinely performing health checkups. The zoo says this setup is meant to mimic natural behavior—lionesses seeking isolated shelters to hunker down with their young until the cubs are ready to join the pride.

Scarlett, a nine-year-old lioness, shares the new arrival with Hondo, also nine years old. The zoo says the cub and her mother were in the private area as of May 20, while animal care staff monitored the bonding and the cub’s development.

“‘The cub is doing great and exceeding milestones,’ Assistant Curator of Mammals Karen Vacco said. ‘Scarlett is an excellent mother and has been caring for the cub well. Animal care staff are carefully monitoring healthy nursing patterns and normal maternal behavior.’”

What happens next for visitors

Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium isn’t giving an exact debut date, but it is clear about what has to come first. The cub’s likely late-summer public debut is tied to her mobility skills, and the zoo is waiting to move her into the public habitat only when she’s ready.

The zoo also says adult lions will remain viewable for visitors during the meantime.

How big she is, and what to expect

The zoo didn’t say exactly how big the cub is. Still, it said lion cubs typically weigh about two or three pounds when they are born. It also noted that, like domestic cats, lion cubs are born blind, with their eyes opening within a week or two.

“Late summer” is the target, but the learning is happening now—grooming, bonding, and routine care—while staff watch for healthy nursing patterns and normal maternal behavior.

A rare birth in Pittsburgh

The lion cub’s birth comes nearly six years after the last time Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium had lion cubs. That previous birth was in July 2020, when lioness Abana mothered three cubs.

For the zoo, the new arrival is also tied to conservation goals. The zoo said the cub’s birth marks a “major victory” for the Association of Zoos & Aquarium’s Lion Species Survival Plan, a national effort intended to ensure genetic diversity in animals in human care.

The zoo pointed to vulnerabilities African lions face in the wild, including habitat loss, conflict with humans, and declining prey. Successfully rearing lion cubs, it said, is part of conservation efforts meant to support the future of the species.

Ticket information for the season

If you plan to visit this summer, ticket prices are set on a date range. Tickets to visit the zoo between May 22 and September 7 cost between $31 and $36, depending on the specific ticket chosen. On May 21, single-day tickets range from $20 to $24.

Pittsburgh Zoo Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium lion cub Scarlett Hondo animal care late summer debut tickets