SINGAPORE - A lion cub has for the first time in the history of the Singapore Zoo been conceived through assisted reproduction. The birth of the cub - named Simba - last October preserves its bloodline at the zoo, Wildlife Reserves Singapore said on Tuesday (Jan 26). But, unlike his fictional equivalent in the movie Lion King, Simba will never meet his namesake father in the zoo, Mufasa, which died after his semen was collected. The 20-year-old lion's deteriorating health, which included muscle atrophy, was a key factor to ending his life, said WRS. The decision to euthanise Mufasa was not an easy one, and zookeepers and veterinarians took some time to decide. African lions in the wild usually live between 10 and 14 years. While Mufasa lived to a ripe old age, it did not sire any cubs because of his "aggressive behaviour", which did not bring about successful pairings with any female, said WRS. It added that Simba's birth was the product of the fourth and only successful assisted reproduction attempt involving Mufasa, whose genes are extremely valuable to the genetic diversity and sustainability of African lions in zoological institutions. The species is listed as vulnerable under ...