sierraclub.org - sierra magazine - nov/dec 2012 - animal-families - animal families: lion cub and mother
Photography by Suzi Eszterhas | Text by Della Watson
For the first two months of its life, a cub stays with its mother in a den, which can range from a rock crevasse to a grassy area. We can partly thank the lion's instinctual nature for cute photos like this one. Says Eszterhas: "If you watch tigers or sometimes even cheetahs, as the cubs get a little older, they get less snuggly because they're solitary cats. But with lions, they just stay snuggly forever because they're pride animals and that physical contact is really important for reinforcing the pride bond." Once it's old enough, the cub will be introduced to the pride (as in the first slide). If the male lion is the biological father, he'll welcome the cub—as was the case with this cub. If not, the cub most likely won't live for long.