Three young African lions are now calling the Fort Worth Zoo home.
Jabulani, a boy, is joined by girls Saba and Abagebe, in the zoo's African Savannah exhibit. The unrelated lions range in age from 8 months to 15 months and were all born at a wildlife facility.
The lion's names, all African words, mean the following:
Jabulani - Come to bring happiness to everyone
Saba - The number seven
Abagebe - The one long expected
"The Fort Worth Zoo's wildlife partnerships are global, and the lions' unique genetic material will make them a valuable asset in the development of the country's captive African lion population. The Zoo has bred three successful African lion litters since 2004," the zoo said in a news release.
The three now join the zoo's 17-year-old male resident, Tsavo.
African lions are listed as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). A 2008 IUCN report showed that the wild population of African lions has dwindled 30 percent over the last two decades.
