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Behavior Guide: motherhood 
Lions give birth 3.5 months after conception, and they keep their cubs hidden in dense thickets or kopjes until they are old enough to join the rest of the pride. This period lasts approximately 6 weeks and during this time cubs subsist entirely on their mother's milk. Mothers of young cubs spend most of their time away from the pride, although they may join their companions for brief periods.
Occasionally mothers will abandon cubs if they are unable to provide for them. This might seem cruel but it stems from dire necessity. Mothers must remain in top condition in order to provide for their cubs and caring for cubs at their own expense would likely mean death for both.
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Often the first sign that a lioness has given birth are large stains around her nipples
left by suckling cubs. Cubs begin to eat meat at about 6 weeks of age, but they continue
to nurse until they are 6-7 months old and remain dependent on their mothers for up to 2
years. If a litter is lost, females will return to estrus within as little as a week but
mothers whose cubs survive only begin to breed again after their cubs reach 18 months of age.