A second cub from Cecil the lion’s pride is feared dead after park rangers found it missing from its siblings in Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe.
The infant lions had been adopted by their uncle Jericho after their father, Cecil, was brutally slain by American dentist Walter Palmer in July 2015.
The news comes less than a month after reports emerged that the first of Cecil’s eight cubs had been killed by a rival male, known as Bubesi, looking to take over the pride.
Safe from harm: Cecil the lion’s adorable cubs are being cared for by their late father’s pride in Zimbabwe
Sleeping soundly: The infant lions have been adopted by their new pride leader, under the watchful eye of their uncle Jericho
Adorable: New images from African Bush Camps show the cubs snoozing and cautiously peering into a camera
The trio were left fatherless when US dentist Walter Palmer killed Cecil the lion, sparking global outrage
It is unclear when the cub first went missing but it remains ominous news for the rest of the vulnerable cubs in the pride, according to The Mirror.
Experts have given the pride just a five-percent chance of survival due to the threat of a rival male taking over the pride and killing all the cubs.
Attempts have been made to shore up the security surrounding the cubs, with researchers from Oxford University attaching a tracking collar to one of the three lionesses.
The collars, identical to the one fitted to Cecil, will allow rangers to monitor the progress and location of the big cats.
Heartwarming images from African Bush Camps emerged last month, showing the cubs sleeping and cautiously peering into a camera.
Palmer left, was forced to close his Minneapolis dental practice after receiving several death threats over the killing of Cecil, right
The cubs were left without a father after Cecil (pictured) was killed by US dentist Walter Palmer
Jericho the lion, who has been caring for the cubs of slain lion Cecil, was found to be alive and well despite rumors he had been killed by poachers
