Zookeepers overcame sharp claws and feisty personalities when they gave three lion cubs their first health check at London Zoo this week.
The trio of 10-week-old endangered Asiatic lion cubs were weighed, vaccinated and sexed by the zoo's veterinary team.
To ensure a relaxed environment, keepers made the checks in the cubs' familiar dens, with every step organised to be as quick and painless as possible.
Mum Arya watched from a nearby den whilst big cat keepers Kathryn Sanders, Amy McKillop, John Ho and Tara Humphrey managed thechecks.
Head vet Amanda Guthrie revealed that Arya is the proud mother of two boys and a girl after the successful completion of the check-up.
The cubs also received vaccines, had microchips fitted and had their tiny paws and ears inspected.
The spirited cubs would not stay still, and so the weight measurements had to be taken by placing each cub inside a tub on the scales, while the keepers recorded their vital statistics.
Zookeeper Kathryn Sanders said: "Our three Asiatic lion cubs are doing incredibly well, and their first health check is a major milestone for them; I’m delighted to say that they are thriving.
"Asiatic lions are an endangered species and the wild population is estimated to be only 600 to 700 individuals.
"One of the greatest vulnerabilities of the wild population is that it’s isolated to a single habitat: the Gir Forest in Gujarat, India.
"The zoo population is a vital backup for this vulnerable wild population."
The cubs' sexes and vital statistics are expected to be added to the global species database, which is shared by zoos worldwide, and adds them to the international breeding programme of this endangered species.
Head vet Amanda Guthrie said: "Every opportunity to examine an animal as rare as these boosts our veterinary knowledge and expertise, which we can directly apply to animals we are protecting in the wild."
Liontrust, the conservation zoo’s supporter, in collaboration with educational charity, 10Ticks, is collecting name suggestions from school children across the UK for the three cubs, which will be put to a public vote soon.
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