Cub conceived with African lion semen outdoored in Singapore

A zoo in Singapore on Tuesday outdoored its newest born, a lion cub named Simba.

Simba is named after the main character in Disney’s animated film, "The Lion King".

The cub was conceived with semen from an elderly African lion.

Simba’s birth follows artificial insemination that officials said was a first for the city-state.

His father, Mufasa, who was also named after a character in the animated film, was in poor health and did not survive the procedure, the zoo said.

It is not common for lions to be conceived through artificial insemination.

The procedure was first carried out successfully in 2018, leading to the birth of two cubs in South Africa.

Lion population in the wild has fallen more than 40 percent over the past two decades.

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, about 23,000 to 39,000 mature animals are left. The union lists lion as vulnerable.

Simba, who was born in October, is being cared for by his mother Kayla and zookeepers. Officials said he is "healthy and inquisitive".