Who said growing up isn’t fun? Werribee Open Range Zoo’s lion cubs are taking their first steps into adulthood as they begin to form their striking iconic manes. After melting the hearts of Australians as newborns last year, now one-year-old male Jango [pronounced: Jan-go] and Mwezi [pronounced: M-weh-zee] are starting to sprout an adorable short fuzzy fur collar around their necks, shoulders and ears. Werribee Open Range Zoo African river trail keeper Laura Hickleton said the cubs’ manes are starting to darken in complexion and provide a contrast to their yellow-golden coat.
“The growth of their manes marks the cubs’ transition into sub-adults, which is comparable to humans reaching their early teenage years,” Ms Hickleton said. “They’re also looking a little lanky in stature and their manes are quite patchy and different colours. So, they are definitely in their awkward ‘teenage’ phase.
” But Ms Hickleton said the cubs still have a few more development years before they reach the thick, luxurious and pristine look of their seven-year-old father Sheru [pronounced: Sher-oo]. “Their manes will fully develop anywhere between four-to-five years of age. So, they still have quite a bit of growing to do,” Ms Hickleton said.
Jango and Mwezi were born weighing 1.5-kilograms and now weigh 85-90-kilograms each – still just half the size of Sheru who weighs 180-kilograms. A mane has many important physiological functions.
It is a visual indicator of a lion’s.