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ISSAQUAH, Wash. - There is a cause for celebration, and pride, for wildlife in Issaquah as the Cougar Mountain Zoo welcomes new African lion cubs. Zoo officials are hopeful this is a step in the right direction for conservation of the species as global organizations try to save them from endangerment.
Two of the three cubs are female, and one is male. They are still young, just about one month old, according to a statement from CMZ. The cubs were all born in Tanganyika Wildlife Park.
Cougar Mountain Zoo building front (Source: Shelly S. via Yelp) and the three new African lion cubs (Source: Cougar Mountain Zoo)
What they're saying:
"This is an incredibly special moment for our zoo community," said Jarod Munzer, Director at Cougar Mountain Zoo. "Welcoming these young lions allows us to share their story and raise awareness about the urgent need to protect their wild counterparts."
Zoo officials stopped short of releasing an official date for when visitors will be able to see the new pride. However, they said people coming to the zoo will soon see the cubs in their specially-designed nursery habitat.
Dig deeper:
"African lions, once widespread across much of the continent, now face significant threats from
habitat loss, human-wildlife conflict, and declining prey populations. Their numbers have plummeted by more than 40% in the past three decades, with some populations now considered critically endangered," read a release from CMZ, in part, on Oct. 16, 2025.
More information on the zoo's stated conservation efforts and visiting options can be found on the Cougar Mountain Zoo website.
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The Source: Information in this story came from a press release by the Cougar Mountain Zoo on Oct. 16, 2025.