This story first appeared on Shareably. Lions are magnificent animals, but males are ferociously competitive. That implies that when a new baby is born, if he is a boy, he is immediately perceived as a potential threat to the rest of the pride. (Do you remember The Lion King?) We find it difficult to imagine, especially when we see a little lion cub. Of course, humans should never approach them without expert guidance and protection, but they do look cute.

This adorable baby was born in the Denver Zoo on July 25, 2019.We’re not supporters of animals in captivity, but habitat destruction, climate change, poaching, and other dangers make it nearly impossible for some species to survive. Zoos frequently perform good work to conserve them (even if you disagree with how they do it or how strange their settings appear).

However, it appears that cub aficionados outnumber the uninterested, as the zoo’s cub cam became incredibly popular. People were curious about the little boy and what he was up to.Of course, he spent most of his time with his mother, aunt, and sister. It was also up to fans to name the baby. The zoo sponsored an online vote to allow the public to determine the cub’s name, with Meru, Moremi, and Tatu as alternatives.

People had to make a gift in order to vote, and the $12,000 raised went to the Lion Recovery Fund as well as animal care at the zoo. Tatu’s name was revealed in October. “Tatu” is the Swahili word for “three.” Neliah’s third cub is Tatu. The major event. In a lovely video, the zoo showed the sweet first meeting between newborn Tatu and his father Tobias. It was one of several “cubdates” they shared on social media in order to keep people engaged until Tatu’s big public debut.

But there’s a reason why meeting Dad wasn’t an easy process. Not every male is kind with his cubs. Introducing a new member of the pride may be a nerve-racking process for zookeepers. In fact, males in the wild would sometimes kill pups to preserve their own genetic line. Of course, that’s not typical with their own cubs (since they share genes), but there comes a point when a father realizes his cub is his own.

That is when it becomes a nail-biter for folks. Nobody wants to witness a cubcam misidentification happen! But don’t worry. Not only did Tobias quickly recognize Tatu as his own, but his reaction nearly made us cry. Maybe you’re like us and still can’t believe that these gorgeous animals have to grow up in a concrete jungle.