Singapore Zoo is celebrating the arrival of its first lion cub born through artificial insemination.

Unfortunately, baby Simba will never get to meet his father Mufasa, because the geriatric lion was not revived after the insemination procedure. Simba is the late Mufasa’s only son, as the older cat’s aggression meant he never successfully mated. Instead, the zoo decided to try to continue his bloodline through the rarely-used process.

According to a spokesman, his semen was collected by what the zoo described as “electro-ejaculation” for artificial insemination. After that, frail Mufasa – who, at 20, had outlived his wild siblings by six to 10 years – had to be euthanised. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. The animal was not only old, but also suffering from atrophy. The primary procedure was therefore “to euthanise Mufasa on humane grounds”, the zoo told the BBC. “Semen collection while Mufasa was under anaesthesia was a secondary procedure, albeit an important one, to ensure his bloodline continues after his passing.” Simba however, seems all set to carry on his father’s bloodline: at three months, the little cub is apparently thriving.(BBC)…[+]