Cecil the Lion Has ‘Grand-Cubs’

Cecil's son recently became father to 10 cubs

Last year, the world mourned the death of Cecil the lion, who was shot and killed by a Minnesota trophy hunter.

But now, a park in Zimbabwe is celebrating the birth of his “grand-cubs.” Cecil’s son, Xanda, is now the father of 10 cubs, according to MailOnline.

Cecil the lion rests in Hwange National Park, in Hwange, Zimbabwe. (Andy Loveridge/Wildlife Conservation Research Unit via AP)

The cubs were recently photographed walking in the park---near where Cecil was shot.

They were spotted by safari operator Graham Simmonds.

“After tracking and circling for some time, we decided to head back to camp and have a look again later for the elusive felines. Whilst driving in the Back Pans area, we entered a long stretch of thick bush; it was impossible to see anything. Suddenly, as we took a bend, there were two large lionesses walking towards us,” said Simmonds.

“We were still reaching for our cameras when Buli [his guide], with his expertly trained eyes, whispered, ‘Look beneath the first female’. We then saw not one, but 10, tiny cubs trailing their mother. It was an incredibly special sighting to watch the lioness moving her cubs to a new den; especially as the cubs were part of the Ngamo Pride which were fathered by Xanda, one of Cecil’s surviving sons’,” Simmonds added.

A video posted on YouTube also appears to capture the cubs being led by a lioness.

Reports last year said Cecil was shot and killed by Walter Palmer, a dentist, as a hunting trophy he paid $55,000 to get.