By Nangamso Mabindla
3 February 2005

EAST LONDON'S Queen's Park Zoo has two newcomers - nine-week-old white lion cubs - who are proving to be firm favourites with visitors.

The zoo, which is home to 250 animals, now has four white lions, including the well-known lioness Ina.

The two baby cubs are the first white lions to be born at the zoo.

"These cubs are just nine-weeks-old but they're already lively and playing about," says zoo curator Nico Roux during the cubs' feeding time. "They are a pleasure to have here."

In addition to the new arrivals, Queen's Park Zoo is also celebrating the opening of the African Savannah area.

The savannah, which cost R200 000 and took three years to complete, is to be the new home of the zoo's African animals.

"I'm so excited about the savannah. It will be home to our giraffe, cranes, springbok and other animals," says Roux, describing it as "awesome".

The savannah, he promises, will be one of the zoo's main attractions.

"It will also give the animals a sense of the wild," he adds.

Visitors will be able to see the animals clearly, while the buck, birds and giraffe will get a sense of open space. "They will come up to people and play while others will be out there in the wild," Roux says.

The grass has been planted "to give it that feel" and everything should be complete by the summer.

Queen's Park Zoo has more plans in the pipeline. It plans to build a R100 000 aviary to house a variety of bird species.

"That's going to be big too," says Roux. "People will be able to walk into the aviary and view the different birds."

The zoo is also looking to acquire more animals for the savannah including four eland and four springbok.

For more information contact Queen's Park Zoo on (043) 722 1171.