The Dehiwala Zoological Gardens has invited the public to suggest names for two lion cubs born on Christmas Eve last year, with the winning entries to be drawn by lottery.
Veterinarian Deepika Sonnadara, attached to the zoo, told Newswire on Wednesday that visitors will be able to drop suggested names into a box placed at the facility for this purpose. The cubs — a male and a female — are now seven-and-a-half months old.
The naming contest follows the Department of National Zoological Gardens’ earlier decision to open the cubs to public viewing daily between 10:00am and 11:30am. The pair were born to a lion and a lioness on 24 December 2025, and Director General R.C. Rajapaksa inspected them last week to review their growth and health.
The narrow viewing window reflects standard practice for keeping young big cats off-display for most of the day to limit stress during early growth phases.
Lion births at Dehiwala have historically drawn strong domestic interest. The zoo, established in 1936, is one of the oldest in Asia and a perennial school-holiday destination. Officials are hoping the new cubs lift visitor numbers heading into the Vesak holiday period later this month.
The National Zoological Gardens Department also operates the Pinnawala Open-Air Zoo and the Ridiyagama Safari Park, but Dehiwala remains the country’s flagship urban facility with the broadest carnivore collection.
The Singapore Zoo recently debuted Sri Lankan leopard cubs born in the region. In the wild, 108 elephant deaths in 2026 highlight ongoing human-wildlife conflict across Sri Lanka.
