Meet Bisky, Zoo Knoxville's African lion cub. Image by Zoo Knoxville

KNOXVILLE - Meet Bisky (pronounced bis-key), the official name of Zoo Knoxville’s African lion cub.

The cub, born February 17 to first-time parents Zahra (ZAH-rah) and Maji (MAW-ghee), was named by donors and supporters of Zoo Knoxville. Since his birth, the cub has captured the hearts of guests and staff alike as he continues to grow and thrive. Bisky has been living in the Valley of the Kings since April, where guests have quickly fallen in love with him.

Now weighing approximately 27 pounds, Bisky continues to make excellent progress. He currently eats a combination of formula and meat and is becoming more playful and energetic every day.

“He’s doing great,” said Bekah Watkins, Carnivores Lead Keeper. “We’re really excited about how he’s progressing.”

Bisky had to be hand-reared after Zahra stopped producing milk when he was around three weeks old. Since then, Zoo Knoxville’s animal care team has provided around-the-clock care to support his development and ensure his long-term health.

To help support his development, Bisky regularly participates in protected “howdy” sessions with his parents. These carefully managed interactions allow the lions to safely see and observe one another through a barrier while helping Bisky continue developing important lion behaviors and socialization skills.

“These protected introductions are really important because they help him learn lion behaviors and socialization,” Watkins said. “We’re encouraged by the behaviors we’re seeing from him, and every decision we’ve made has been to keep him as safe as possible.”

Zoo Knoxville also continues consulting with experts from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), the African Lion Species Survival Plan (SSP), and other accredited zoological facilities to help determine the safest options for Bisky at this stage of development.

Bisky was removed for hand-rearing to ensure his survival since he wasn't receiving sufficient nourishment from his mother. Because this was necessary to do at such a young age, Zahra and Maji may not fully recognize him as their cub. Staff and several experts believe a full introduction may be too risky while he remains significantly smaller than the adult lions. The safety and well-being of all Zoo Knoxville animals remain the top priority in every animal care decision.

Guests can see Bisky daily between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. in the Valley of the Kings at Zoo Knoxville.