Rome zoo christens its two lion cubs Naisha and Aasha.

Rome's Bioparco zoo has presented two lion cubs to the world - Naisha and Aasha - both born during Italy’s covid-19 lockdown.

The female cubs were the first Asiatic lions born at the Bioparco since it began keeping the endangered species 22 years ago.

The lions were born on 29 April - on their mother Sajani's birthday - and their arrival came as something of a shock to the zoo.

• Rome's Bioparco zoo reopens after lockdown

Staff only suspected that Sajani was pregnant two days before the cubs' birth, and they only knew that the cubs had survived when they heard tiny yelps coming from the lion enclosure.

The arrival of the cubs was welcomed by the city's mayor Virginia Raggi who described it as "a true symbol of hope and resurgence.”

The Bioparco chose the cubs' names after launching a social media campaign to ask people for their suggestions.

For more information about the lion cubs and how to visit them, together with their parents Sajani and Ravi, see the Bioparco di Roma website.

Photo Bioparco di Roma