On Thursday, 26 November 2020, at around 19:30, a lioness at Royal Burgers' Zoo gave birth to triplets.

The first days of life are often critical for large predators, which is why Burgers' Zoo initially provided the animals with as much peace, quiet and space as possible to ensure minimal disturbance. 

Arnhem's pride has one adult male and two adult females. One of the lionesses gave birth to twins on 27 July 2020: a male and a female. With the birth of the triplets on 26 November 2020, there will soon be five lion cubs on display at Burgers' Zoo. However, the three newcomers will spend the next few weeks behind the scenes in a separate enclosure with their mother.

Even an iconic predator such as the lion, with few natural enemies other than humans, is becoming less and less common on the African savannahs. Loss of habitat, illegal hunting for trophies or traditional medicine, and human-animal conflict are taking their toll: the number of lions in the wild is drastically decreasing.