Historic Lion Cubs Born at Turtle Back Zoo: Meet Kito and Anga

Turtle Back Zoo in Essex County, New Jersey, got its first lion cubs in over 60 years. A three-year-old lioness gave birth to two babies in late November. The male and female cubs, named Kito and Anga by TODAY viewers, cap off a year of work by the zoo. These are the first lions ever born at this location.

The zoo shared the cubs' sexes with TODAY on Jan. 8. Kito means Precious Jewel in English. Anga translates to Sky in Swahili.

Makena, the mother, had her babies six weeks ago. Both were healthy and thriving when the zoo made its announcement.

TODAY viewers voted in polls this week to pick names. The winning choices hold meaning for some zoo fans — Sky is the name of Al Roker's granddaughter.

This birth is huge for the zoo. In more than 60 years, no lion cubs had arrived until Makena delivered her pair.

The zoo worked toward this goal for a year, and that hard work succeeded when the cubs arrived in November.

Both cubs have now reached six weeks old. Kito and his sister Anga keep growing at the Essex County facility.

Fans can check the zoo's Instagram account for updates. The social media page will share news about how the cubs are doing as they develop.

Al Roker and his granddaughter Sky both enjoy visiting the zoo. The shared name between the granddaughter and the female cub created a sweet tie between the family and these new arrivals.

Makena has been taking care of her babies since they were born. This is her first litter at the zoo.