Four of the National Zoo’s lion cubs took a dip in the water earlier this month to prove to zookeepers that they would be safe roaming around their outdoor enclosure, which features a moat.
Shera and Luke’s four cubs, born March 2, passed their swim test by keeping their heads above the water, paddling around the shallow end and climbing onto the land.
“It’s possible that a cub could be playing around and get knocked into the moat by a parent or sibling,” zookeeper Kristen Clark said. “We want to make sure that if they find themselves in that situation, they know how to pull themselves out of the water and onto shore.”
The cubs will appear in public in mid-June after receiving vaccinations, zoo officials said.
