Whipsnade lion cubs named by schoolchildren
Four northern African lion cubs born at Whipsnade Zoo have been named by a local prize-draw winner and children from 24 schools across Luton and Central Bedfordshire
Last updated 21st May 2025
Whipsnade Zoo has announced the names of its youngest litter of northern African lion cubs, who were born to lioness Waka earlier this year. The cubs have been named Bertie, Oya, Malaika and Kibibi.
The names were chosen as part of a community effort involving a public prize draw and a school voting scheme. Bertie and Oya were picked by prize-draw winner Matthew Hampstead, who said he chose the names to reflect the conditions the cubs were born in.
“I entered the prize draw as I wanted to contribute towards all the amazing work being done by ZSL at Whipsnade Zoo and ensure this continues, and I was really excited by the prospect of having the honour of naming the lion cubs,” he said.
“I fell in love with all the animals in the zoo, but the lions were the main reasons behind what made me keep coming back – I couldn't get enough of them! And of course now there will always be a special place in my heart for Bertie and Oya!”
The zoo’s lion keepers created a shortlist of names for the two remaining cubs, which was then shared with local schools. Children voted to name the cubs Malaika and Kibibi, which mean “Angel” and “Little Lady” in Swahili.
Sarah McGregor, section manager of predators at Whipsnade Zoo, said: “These cubs mean so much to our visitors, so it's great that we’ve been able to get the local community involved in helping us pick names for them.
“We’re delighted with the names that have been chosen! As the cubs get bigger each day they are showing more of their individual personalities, and we’re now able to see unique spot patterns on their heads, so it's becoming easier to tell each one apart.”
The zoo confirmed that the money raised through the prize draw will go towards ZSL’s global conservation work. ZSL is the international wildlife charity that runs Whipsnade Zoo.
The three older cubs, born to lioness Winta in November last year, will be named by ZSL supporters, with those names expected to be announced soon.
Sarah added: “All seven northern African lion cubs are an important addition to the conservation breeding programme for their threatened subspecies, and they’ve already proven the power of seeing amazing animals helps to educate our visitors not only about the threats lions face in the wild, but also how the public can help us protect the planet and create a world where wildlife thrives.”
According to ZSL, wild African lion populations have declined by 75% due to habitat loss, reduced prey from hunting, and human conflict.