OKC Zoo Invites Public To Help Name Lion Cubs

The Oklahoma City Zoo needs the public's help to decide on what to name its four lion cubs, the first such cubs born at the zoo in 15 years. 

On Sept. 26, the OKC Zoo's 7-year-old lioness, Dunia, gave birth to her first litter - three female cubs and a male.  

"The cubs are in good health. So is mom, and the little ones are growing. They are becoming more mobile every day," said Candice Rennels, director of public relations at the zoo. 

The cubs are not yet viewable to the public. But Rennels said the goal is to have them ready this winter. 

"They have to be big enough to safely navigate their outdoor habitat," said Rennels. "This is a very important time for mom and the cubs to bond as the little ones are still nursing." 

In the meantime, to continue a tradition, the zoo is asking the public to help decide on the cubs' names. 

"When we had the lion cubs 15 years ago, we did a naming contest for those cubs," said Rennels. 

There are three groups of names that the public can vote on by visiting www.okczoo.org/lion-names. 

The first group includes four African-inspired names: Neema (NEE-mah), which means grace, Zahara (Za-HA-ra), which means flower, Makena (muh-KEN-na), which means happiness, and Mshango, which means surprise. 

The second group includes names inspired by nature to honor the cubs' mom, Dunia, which is Swahili for "the Earth." The names are Nyasi (nee-asi), which means grass, Mlima (m-lima), which means mountain or hill, Mti, which means tree or wood, and Mwamba (mwam-ba), which means rock. 

The final group features Oklahoma-inspired names:  Ada, Alva, Talimena (named after Talimena State Park near Talihina, Oklahoma) and Shawnee. 

Rennels said voting is open through the end of Monday, Nov. 7, and the zoo will announce the winning names on Wednesday, Nov. 9. As of Thursday, the zoo had already received about 3,800 votes, said Rennels. 

African lions are considered vulnerable, so it's very unique that we would have these four cubs and we have this opportunity," Rennels said.