Wild Inside the National Zoo: Lion Pride 

That glitter thing is really clever!

Lions are the only social cats. See how the pride of 9 at the Smithsonian's National Zoo gets along in this new episode from our web series, Wild Inside the National Zoo: bit.ly/1ujMtAu

Bunch of big cuteness

Love Luke, he is picture perfect.

The lion pride at the National Zoo has tripled in size this year! Get to know the big personalities of these little cubs: bit.ly/1tWnPpr

Check out the surprising (and sparkly) way that caretakers monitor the health of the lion cubs at the National Zoo: bit.ly/1ujMtAu

Although I understand some who say “they should all be in the wild”. I don’t think it’s realistic given habitat loss and cowardly hunting. Because I’m not an animal expert I can’t look at all species and tell when they’re happy and healthy. But male lion manes are a good indicator of that I believe and some of these zoos they look dark and full. So hats off to National and the other zoos. Including these preservation projects around the world🦁

Such beautiful animals too:)

I loved this!

Ill be the first to say I hate to see any wild animal in a zoo for display, BUT - not all zoo's are bad and this is one of the best we have here in the States. These lions have multiple places to go when they want to and although it's not out in the wild they are treated very well. They were born in their situation so in a way it's natural for them to be living there. Do I want/wish they weren't? Yes. But not all zoos are bad. Conservation is important and people seeing these animals for how they are truly beautiful does help spread awareness. They don't treat them as pets, they take care of them and do plenty of enrichment while being there. It's not ideal and it's heart dropping that it has to be this way.. But I think I have to say I would rather have these ambassadors for their cousins in the wild then to see them poached for greed and have the wild population diminish even more. They are treated very good and always have their happiness, care, and health at the forefront. The only reason they are even trained those behaviors is so that the vet and trainers can look in their mouths, belly, and to desensitize them to touch if injections/blood drawn is needed.

Beautiful Brillant

sueño con algún día verlos en las montañas y bosques del atlas :(

Is Luke still there?

I love lions

Luke Luke Luke!!!!! How gorgeous you are!!!!

why are they kept in concrete enclosures at night?

broomshockalocka

Bestimmt haben die cubs keine freude so gefüttert zu werden.

ZACH MIKE

ZACH CHRIS

1:30 ..I would not eat any food made by this lady, with her mouth probably spitting on the food and hair all over it..Yikes!

This is so sad that animals are trapped in cages how horrible if we were to be trapped in cages from when we were 2 and be controlled by another species. The grey cages are so depressing!

I am shocked an appalled by the level of nudity on full display at your zoo. Why aren’t these animals wearing clothes? On a recent visit, my hole family became physically ill (literal barfing) after witnessing many lascivious and wanton displays. Is this a zoo or a house of harlotry?

Wild? No longer, since they are in the National Animal Prison... :-(

those lions should never be kept in that cell behind bars, even for people to see, how frigging barberic. It's so sad and un natural for them to be put on display, any animal. I so hate the way some humans have got it all wrong. They don't and never will understand...

Beautiful Brillant