On Thursday, September 29, the cubs were released into their sanctuary to make themselves at home after a long trip from South Africa the day before.

Mark Stone, owner of the Billabong Zoo, said their arrival has been years in the making.

“We started planning three years ago and have built a brand new enclosure in that time,” he said.

"Both were born in Africa in April this year and have not been named yet.”

The cubs were born in the Ukutula sanctuary in South Africa.

The sanctuary supports and applies the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s One Plan Approach, which is the development of management strategies and conservation actions by all responsible parties for all populations of a species, whether inside or outside their natural range. 

The unrelated male and female cubs are five months old, with strong bloodlines. The long term goal is for the pair to breed.

Mr Stone said he was excited to be able to watch them grow and share in their life journey with the staff and visitors to the zoo.

“They grow very quickly. They will be fully grown in four to five years time,” he said.

“Introducing big cats to the zoo has been a long held ambition of ours. The arrival of the lion cubs completes our big cat exhibits, which also features snow leopards and cheetahs.”