Photo by Mehgan Murphy, courtesy Smithsonian’s National Zoo

For the first time in more than 20 years, a lion pride has successfully reproduced at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo. Zoo officials say a cub was born to 6-year-old lion Nababiep early this morning.

Tragically, the zoo has yet to release any cuddly wuddly images of the brand new baby lion. Images accompanying the press release sent out with the birth announcement were only of the zoo’s three adult lions, Nababiep, her sister Shera, and Luke (seen above). We’ll obviously be keeping a watchful eye out for any forthcoming, squee-worthy lion cub photos.

Instead of getting busy photographing, zoo officials seem more concerned with how important, historic, and potentially challenging this birth is.

“The birth of Naba’s cub represents our team’s hard work to successfully introduce our lions, but we still have many exciting and challenging goals ahead,” is the quote from Rebecca Stites, a lion and tiger keeper at the Zoo.

And National Zoo director Dennis Kelly offers up his own version: “This is a historic moment for the National Zoo and positions us to contribute even more significantly to the conservation of African lions and to become leaders in the captive management of a pride.”

Sure, sure, conserving lions is great, blahblahblah, SHOW US THE LION CUB.

UPDATE: Yes, we are aware that there is a lion cub cam. We’re watching it as it we type these very words. But we need up-close images, stat! Or at least, just as soon as zoo keepers determine they can safely examine the newborn without mama Nababiep showing them the business end of her claws.