Sahara’s big news

Sahara with two of her cubs

We’re so happy to share this glorious image of a beautiful lioness with her new cubs – her first litter. Every single lion is important to Born Free, of course, but Sahara’s new family is especially worth celebrating. 

With your support, Born Free is hard at work in our charity’s heartland of Meru National Park – where Elsa the lioness was returned to the wild. One by one, our Pride of Meru team is getting to know every lion in the vast 335 square mile landscape, and the wellbeing of each matters. By recording individuals on our database and monitoring their behaviour, Born Free can improve our conservation work. 

Back in December 2022, a large lion cub was discovered by our Pride of Meru team with an arrow in her right hind leg. Sadly, ‘conflict’ between people and lions can be a big problem, so Born Free works hard with local communities to help farmers protect their livestock and promote peaceful coexistence. 

Thankfully, after expert intervention by the Kenya Wildlife Service vet team, the arrow was carefully removed and Sahara’s injury treated. Since then, our team has kept a watchful eye on the recovery and progress of the young lioness – a member of the Mulika Pride.  

Then in July this year, our team reported some very exciting news – Sahara’s physique was noticeably changing. Her belly had become enlarged, and her teats swollen. All signs pointed to the lioness having recently given birth, yet, despite careful tracking, her cubs remained hidden, tucked away in the secrecy of bush as lionesses often do to protect their newborn from threats. So, we’ve been awaiting further updates with much anticipation. 

Weeks of patient monitoring finally paid off, and on 16th September 2025, Sahara was spotted again, alongside another young female, Rori.

Moses Nyagah, Pride of Meru Field Supervisor, reported: “What made this sighting extraordinary wasn’t just the union – it was the lively presence of five healthy, bouncing cubs nestled between the two females. As the Pride of Meru team watched from a respectable distance, a very rare and heartwarming behaviour was witnessed: the cubs suckled freely from both lionesses. This wasn’t just a case of shared space; it was shared motherhood. The two lionesses, likely bonded by kinship of pride dynamics, were jointly nursing and caring for the cubs.”

Such behaviour, though uncommon, is not unheard of in lion societies. It suggests a level of social flexibility and cooperation that enhances cubs’ survival. By pooling their resources such as milk, protection, and warmth, Sahara and Rori were giving their young the best possible start in life.

And, as you can see, the new cubs appear healthy, strong and very playful! Interestingly, lion cubs are born with spots, to help them blend into their grassy habitat and hide from predators while their mothers are hunting. These brownish spots will gradually fade as the cubs grow older. 

Thanks for doing your bit to bolster Kenya’s precious lion population, Sahara! What a remarkable journey you’ve been on – from wounded cub, to a capable young mum. With the aid of Born Free supporters, we’ll do everything we can to help you keep your family safe.