Lion (Panthera leo) particularities in individuals born and hand reared in captivity

Abstract Considering the fact that evolution of species is driven by habitats and the reproduction is a complex phenomenon interfered or influenced by many factors, a reproduction program for captive carnivores is a changeling and many programs cannot afford experimental failure. Captive carnivores pose a challenge to all institution involved in their conservation, presenting a broad pathology from diseases to poor welfare and breeding problems. Infant mortality is primarily caused by inadequate maternal behavior, either active or passive it can be connected to biological factors as well as to individual traits such origin, if they were wild- caught of captive – born. This is the main reason for research team approach in their reproduction program, hand rearing the infants. The present article presents the challenges faced by research team in their efforts to rear two lion infants, from different conceptions. The litters belonged to Barlad zoo, Vaslui County, from eastern part of Romania. Both parents were born and reared in captivity, donated to the institution during year 2014, at 3years of age, both hand reared by donor. During cubs hand rearing we developed a nutrition plan for optimal development of the infants, exposing ours mistakes has educational purpose for others so they avoid them in future