On Easter Sunday, April 5, 2026, the Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium introduced a new little fur-ball to their lion’s den with the birth of a female cub from first-time parents Scarlett and Hondo. Now, on August 10, also World Lion Day, she makes her first public debut at the lion habitat alongside the reveal of her name.
Meet Pittsburgh Zoo’s New Lion Cub and Learn Her Name on World Lion Day
The public debit is a big milestone for the zoo’s newest resident. Since her birth, she’s been spending her first few months growing behind the scenes and bonding with her mother. But, Pittsburghers have kept up to date on the tiny but fierce cat through the zoo’s social media channels which have been sharing photos on her progress.
Over a thousand zoo visitors and animal lovers had the opportunity to help welcome the cub by participating in the naming contest. For a $5 donation, supporters could submit a name suggestion, with proceeds benefiting the zoo and its conservation efforts. After the zoo team reviewed the naming contest entries, the staff chose the winner which will be announced at the cub’s public debut.
After the name announcement, stick around to celebrate World Lion Day, an event to raise awareness about the challenges lions face in the wild, including habitat loss, human-wildlife conflict, and declining populations. Take part in activities like visiting information tables to learn more about conservation and other efforts, lion enrichment shows, meetings with zoo keepers, story time, and more. Plus, any extra time to get to see the cub explore her environment for the first time is worth the watch.
Story by Kylie Thomas
Photos Courtesy of Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium
