Two Australian zoos have made a roaring announcement - four lion cubs have been born behind the scenes.
A trio at Taronga Plains Zoo in the western NSW city of Dubbo were the first to arrive.
It marked lioness Marion's third litter at the zoo, and senior keeper Mel Friedman said the birth went smoothly.
"She gave birth to one boy and two girls with four hours between each birth, so it was a very long day for all of us," she said.
"She's a brilliant mum, and like a duck to water, she took care of the cubs from day dot and they're hitting all their milestones."
But visitors will have to wait to take their first look, as the cubs, born on February 21, will spend the next few months behind the scenes in the care of their mother and keepers.
"We need the cubs to be a little bit bigger before they start meeting their older siblings, because they will play rough with them," Ms Friedman said.
"They're about five weeks old now and almost at the five-kilogram mark, so they're doing really well, even starting to explore around their den area."
The cubs are expected to make their public debut in winter, after a slow introduction process to the rest of their family members.
The last, but certainly not least cub arrived at Werribee Open Range Zoo on March 23 to first-time mother Asali.
Lions most commonly give birth to between two and four lions at a time, and it is the first time in Werribee Zoo's 41-year-old history that they have welcomed the birth of a single cub.
Lion cubs don't usually open their eyes for three days, and take their first steps after two weeks.
But keeper Kieralie Braasch said the cub took its first look after three hours, and was on the move after 15 hours.
"The cub appears to be embracing its solo life without sibling competition, as it is thriving in both size and development," she said.
"The cub is also drinking milk ferociously - it cannot stop!"
The cub is expected to be named in coming weeks.
It will make its public debut sometime after it is six weeks old, when its gender will also be determined during an initial health check.
