Cub # 5, a male, was delivered naturally and monitored closely by the animal keepers, via video surveillance. On two occasions a physical exam was performed on the cub. He was found to be in good physical condition, and it appeared that both cub and first-time mother were thriving. The cub remained with his mother for 13 days.

On Wednesday, June 25, keepers noticed a shift in Lindsay’s behavior. Her appetite had decreased and she was subdued. Lindsay was treated with antibiotics, and plans were made to evaluate her thoroughly the next morning should she not improve.

The following morning Lindsay’s condition had declined further, and the staff at Riverbanks decided to anesthetize her to conduct a thorough evaluation. It was determined that Lindsay was experiencing obstetrical problems related to her recent pregnancy and that she required surgical attention.

A veterinary surgeon and technician from South Carolina Veterinary Specialists joined the Riverbanks veterinary team. They worked together to perform an emergency ovariohysterectomy. The surgery was a success.

After surgery, Lindsay was hospitalized for intensive medical care for the abdominal infection that was discovered during surgery. Lindsay was unable to continue rearing her newborn, so he was introduced to the other cubs for hand rearing.

“The story of Cub #5 and his mother Lindsay is an amazing one,” said John Davis, curator of mammals at Riverbanks. “Lindsay’s condition was critical and our animal care staff and the staff of the South Carolina Veterinary Specialists responded immediately.”

The transition of Cub #5 to the “hand-reared club” was seamless. He took immediately to the keeper staff, quickly learned how to bottle-feed and has enjoyed the social interaction with the other cubs.

Lindsay remained in the veterinary hospital at Riverbanks for 6 days following the surgery. She was then moved to her usual holding area where she had visual contact with Brynn, her sister, and Zuri, the male lion at Riverbanks. Because lions are social animals the visual contact played an important role in her recovery. Yesterday was Lindsay’s first day on exhibit since the birth of her cub.

“Lindsay is still under medical supervision, but we are pleased with her progress," said Dr. Keith Benson, senior veterinarian at Riverbanks.

All five cubs are currently on exhibit at the Bird Conservation Center across from the sea lion exhibit. They will remain there until they are too large for the temporary nursery. At that time they will be moved to the lion indoor holding area until they are large enough to venture out on the main exhibit. They will most likely be seen on the lion exhibit in late September.

If you cannot make it to the Zoo but want to view the cubs, you can check them out from 8am – 5pm on the ZooView webcam.

The Zoo will launch a naming contest for three of the cubs next week. Visit www.riverbanks.org for more information. The naming rights for Cub #5 will be auctioned off at this year’s annual ZOOfari fundraiser, which is on Saturday, October 11.