Sepahijala Zoo in Tripura has got a New Year gift for the public — three cute lion cubs.

The cubs are five months old now but the announcement of their birth was made on New Year’s eve, the day they were presented to the public.

“These cubs were born in July but we kept them and their mother away from public viewing as we didn’t want them to get disturbed or be exposed to any infection. They are now in good health,” the zoo’s director, Naresh Jamatia, told The Telegraph.

“The three new zoo members, two males and a female, have come after four years. Their arrival is a sign of success. These cubs are totally fit now. It’s a very good beginning for us. We are very happy. They are growing fast and are quite healthy,” Jamatia said.

He said the cubs’ parents were brought from Bannerghatta wildlife sanctuary in Karnataka in 2014.

In 2015, two cubs were born in the zoo, both male. The zoo at Bishalghar in Sepahijala district, around 25km from here, now has seven lions and lionesses.