Meet Simba: Singapore's First Artificially Conceived Lion Cub

Remember Simba from the Disney movie The Lion King? Well, Singapore just introduced an artificially conceived lion cub who was named after the movie's protagonist. Likewise, NDTV reported that Simba's genetic father was named after the cartoon's father, Mufasa.

It is the first time for Singapore Zoo, and a rare phenomenon in general, to have a lion cub be conceived via artificial insemination. According to reports, Simba is now a three-month-old lion cub that is healthy and inquisitive and has his father's eyes.

In 2018, two cubs were born in South Africa via assisted reproduction. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has identified lions as vulnerable species, with only 20,000 lions surviving in Africa and a few hundred in India.

Circle of Life: Simba Is Born

The zookeepers have put Mufasa under to extract his semen using an electrojeculator. According to IFL Science, the principle of semen extraction across mammals is essentially the same. The device is inserted into the animal's rectum while a sheath is attached over the penis of the lion to collect the semen.

The manual for AC-1 Ejaculator cautioned that the process requires finesse as it warns that "some movement of the rear legs will occur during stimulation."

The Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS), who oversees most zoos in Singapore, noted that Mufasa was considered elderly and in poor health at the ripe old age of 20 but did not sire any cubs throughout its lifetime due to its aggressive behavior.

Although, unfortunately, he died shortly after the procedure, his genes continue to live on through his son Simba, contributing to African lions' genetic diversity and sustainability in the zoos.

Healthy and Inquisitive Simba

Three months ago, on October 23, Simba was born in Singapore Zoo and is currently being cared for by his mother, Kayla. The zookeepers said that the lion cub is healthy and inquisitive and has the same beautiful eyes like his father's.

Although it has been months already before they announced Simba's birth, the zookeepers said that it was because they needed to wait until the lion cub passed a healthy three-month milestone.

According to MailOnline, the first few months of Simba was not easy. The lion cub had trouble sucking from his mother, whereby the zookeepers had to provide supplemental bottle feedings.

The WRS added that Kayla might possibly be suffering from inflammation of her mammary glands, based on observations. The zookeepers were hesitant at first to take Simba to his mother for feedings "because animals can reject their young following temporary separation," said Kughan Krishnan of the Singapore Zoo.

But thankfully, Kayla has responded positively to their intervention, which shows the test built between her and her care team.

IUCN Listed Lions As Vulnerable Species

The IUCN has classified lions as vulnerable species under their Red List of Threatened Species. But in some parts of South Africa, they are listed as critically endangered species because of their plummeting populations at an unprecedented rate.

According to African Impact, the biggest threats to the lion populations include habitat loss, illegal wildlife trade, poor legal trade regulation, diseases, ad climate change.

But with the help of volunteer programs, such as African Big 5 & Wildlife Conservation and Big Cat Wildlife Research & Conservation, there is a gradual increase in their populations.

While in zoological institutions, artificial insemination is one way to conserve the animals and promote genetic diversity among them.

Check out more news and information on Lion and Artificial Insemination on Science Times.