Lion cubs learn swimming in US zoo

WASHINGTON: At the National Zoo in Washington, D.C., four lion cubs born in late August had their first swimming lesson Tuesday. Why would lion cubs need a swimming lesson, you ask? Good question. When the cubs move with their mother, Shera, to an outdoor enclosure (likely to happen in late December), they'll find themselves surrounded by a water-filled moat. Keepers wanted to ensure their safety by making sure they'd be able to swim should they accidentally fall in. According to the zoo, the swimming test was a success, with all four cubs -- three females and one male, if you're wondering -- managing to perform a passable dog paddle. The cubs swam under the supervision of the zoo's great cats curator, Craig Saffoe, and two keepers, Rebecca Stites and Kristen Clark. The litter is the first for 4-year-old Shera, who has shown herself to be an excellent mother, according to the zoo. The cubs are expected to stay at the National Zoo until they're about 2 years old, zoo staff explained in an online chat held last month; when they reach sexual maturity, they'll move to other zoos to participate in conservation breeding programs.