When Asante, a lion at the the Topeka Zoological Park, gave birth to a her first litter early in June, the four cubs were the first born at the Zoo's Lion's Pride facility in eighteen years. Unfortunately, two cubs did not survive the birth and Tuesday the Zoo was saddened to announce the death of one more cub.

Right now, Zoo officials say they were surprised when the 17-day old cub died; it had been reportedly active and nursing. A gross necropsy initially revealed abnormal kidneys. The zoo says it will provide more information when a complee histopathology is completed.

The lone surviving cub and its mother are still living in an off exhibit Lion's Pride holding facility and will be reintroduced at a later time.

Asante came to the Topeka Zoo from the Ft. Worth Zoo along with another female lion, Zuri, two years ago. The cub's father, Avus, joined the pride last year from Henry Vilas Zoo in Madison, Wisconsin.