Pregnant Lion Saved from Syrian Zoo Gives Birth Just Hours After Rescue

This proud mamma lion may have been destined to bring her newborn cub into a war zone – but now, after traveling for over 375 miles, she and her child are safe.

Dana is one of five lions who were rescued from a zoo in Aleppo earlier this week. For the last several years, the city has been a battlefield for the Syrian civil war, and the lions were considered lucky to be alive.

Thanks to the animal charity and rescue organization Four Paws, the animals were airlifted from Syria to the Al Ma’wa for Nature and Wildlife sanctuary in northern Jordan.

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Just hours after landing at her new home, Dana gave birth to her cub.

“Our team on site was very concerned about whether the lioness would accept the cub or kill it, as this is what lions sometimes do when they are under enormous stress,” said the Four Paws UK Facebook page. “But luckily that wasn’t the case. She cleaned the cub and nursed it. This is a true sign that she feels safe at Al Ma’wa.”

Since a previous ultrasound showed that Dana was destined to give birth to two cubs, wildlife specialists are eagerly awaiting the arrival of a second lion. The gender of the first is still unknown.

(WATCH the video below)

Click To Share This Pawesome Story With Your Friends (Photo by Photo by Ahu Savan An)