Lion cubs Simba, Suri moved to open enclosure in Thiruvananthapuram zoo for public viewing - The HinduPublished - August 19, 2026 09:00 pm IST - ThiruvananthapuramThe Lion cubs, Simba and Suri..Simba and Suri, the seven-month-old lion cubs at the Thiruvananthapuram zoo, made their public debut on Wednesday.Minister for Museums and Zoos O.J. Janeesh and Museums and Zoos Special Secretary N. Prasanth were present to mark their shifting to an open enclosure ahead of Onam.Till now, the cubs had not been in the public eye; they were housed in an enclosure near their mother Nayla who along with partner Leo are the parents of Simba and Suri. The two lions had been brought from Sri Venkateswara Zoological Park, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, in June 2023. The then Minister for Zoos J. Chinchurani had named the two lions Nayla and Leo.Simba and Suri, born on January 20 this year, were a much-awaited bundle of joy for the zoo authorities since Nayla had three pregnancies before but the offspring did not survive. Even after the birth of the cubs, the challenges were many. Nayla did not look after them or feed them. It fell to a team led by zoo veterinary surgeon Nikesh Kiran and comprising keeper Anil Kumar and livestock inspector Jijo to provide the cubs constant care and attention – nutritious food, vaccination, and medical care.The shift to an open enclosure marks the start of a new chapter in their journey to adulthood.Zoo director Manjula Devi P.S., Dr. Nikesh, curator Sangeetha Mohan, and superintendent T.V. Anil Kumar oversaw the shifting of the cubs to the open enclosure.Published - August 19, 2026 09:00 pm ISTSign in to unlock member-only benefits!Access 10 free stories every monthSave stories to read laterAccess to comment on every storySign-up/manage your newsletter subscriptions with a single clickGet notified by email for early access to discounts & offers on our products${ ind + 1 } ${ device }Last active - ${ la }