A French zoo has debuted its latest stars, unveiling three baby lions to the public for the first time.
Three lion cubs are seen in their enclosure at Paris Zoological Park in the Bois de Vincennes. (Reuters/Charles Platiau)
Atlas, Kibo and Shanti — two males and a female — are a rare breed that resembles the Asian Lion but is a subspecies of the now-extinct Barbary Lion, once native to North Africa.
The lion cubs were born on April 22, 2015 to parents Aswad, the lioness, and the lion Nero. (Reuters/Charles Platiau)
Born April 22, the cubs were the first recorded lion births at the Paris zoo since 1989.
The three cubs Atlas, Kibo, and Shani play during their first walk outside. (AP/Michael Euler)
The animals took the attention in stride, running alongside their mother as she ate sheep flesh when they were exposed to the public Friday. The cubs nibbled on grass, but showed signs that they will soon upgrade to meat, said veterinarian Alexis Lecu.
The cubs were named based on tallies from a Facebook vote.