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Meet Bahati The Cub, The Adorable Model For Simba In The Lion King Remake
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The Model For Baby Simba In The New Lion King Is A Female Lion Cub Named Bahati, And The Photos Are Adorable

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Before lions grow up to become majestic kings and queens of the jungle, they spend a lot of time wobbling about as tiny, adorable balls of fluffy cuteness. And we all know just how endearing baby lions can be! There’s hardly a person on the planet who can resist their lovable charms.

Bahati, a beautiful female lion cub from the Dallas Zoo, has taken the Internet by storm. Not just because she’s as cute as a button (which she is!), but because she’s the amazing model behind baby Simba in The Lion King live-action remake. The Dallas Zoo recently uploaded a breathtakingly sweet video of Bahati, said to have been sent to Disney.

More info: Dallas Zoo | Facebook

The Dallas Zoo sent Disney a video of Bahati the lion cub doing everything, from walking to drinking milk

Image credits: Dallas Zoo

Image credits: Dallas Zoo

The zoo then shared a shorter version of the video online

Image credits: Dallas Zoo

“The world’s most famous Disney movie lion cub may have gotten some of his moves from our very own Bahati!” the Dallas Zoo wrote on Facebook. “When Bahati was just a month old, we provided Disney with a video of this wild cat’s movements for their animation team to use for motion and behavior reference when designing Simba in The Lion King.”

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Image credits: Walt Disney Studios

Image credits: Dallas Zoo

Image credits: Dallas Zoo

“From walking on wobbly new legs to licking milk droplets off of her face, we captured every moment of this adorable animal baby, no matter how small,” the zoo added. The video was viewed more than 47,000 times and was shared 550+ times.

Bahati was the model used for Simba’s movements and behavior in The Lion King live-action remake

Image credits: Walt Disney Studios

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Image credits: Dallas Zoo

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Image credits: Dallas Zoo

The Dallas Zoo, located around 3 miles south of downtown Dallas, is the oldest zoological park in the state of Texas. It was established in 1888 after a man sold two deer and two mountain lions to the City of Dallas for $60 and they placed them in pens in City Park.

Image credits: Dallas Zoo

Image credits: Dallas Zoo

Image credits: Walt Disney Studios

However cute lion cubs may seem, they’re serious business when they grow up. Female big cats can eat a whopping 5 kgs of meat every single day, while males devour 7 kg or even more. It’s the females that do the great majority of the hunting, while the males protect the pride — the pack that’s usually made up of 10-15 lions. Lions live for around 12-16 years in the wild and up to 25 years in zoos. We’re hoping that Bahati the cub will live forever and ever.

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Bahati the female lion was only a month old when the Dallas Zoo sent Disney its video, but she’s growing up quickly

Image credits: Dallas Zoo

Image credits: Dallas Zoo

Image credits: Dallas Zoo

Image credits: Walt Disney Studios

Image credits: Dallas Zoo

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Image credits: Dallas Zoo

Image credits: Dallas Zoo

Image credits: Dallas Zoo

Image credits: Dallas Zoo

Image credits: Dallas Zoo

Here’s what people had to say about Bahati the lion cub

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Mindaugas Balčiauskas

Mindaugas Balčiauskas

Author, BoredPanda staff

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I'm a visual editor at Bored Panda. I kickstart my day with a mug of coffee bigger than my head, ready to tackle Photoshop. I navigate through the digital jungle with finesse, fueled by bamboo breaks and caffeine kicks. When the workday winds down, you might catch me devouring bamboo snacks while binging on the latest TV show, gaming or I could be out in nature, soaking up the tranquility and communing with my inner panda.

Read less »
Mindaugas Balčiauskas

Mindaugas Balčiauskas

Author, BoredPanda staff

I'm a visual editor at Bored Panda. I kickstart my day with a mug of coffee bigger than my head, ready to tackle Photoshop. I navigate through the digital jungle with finesse, fueled by bamboo breaks and caffeine kicks. When the workday winds down, you might catch me devouring bamboo snacks while binging on the latest TV show, gaming or I could be out in nature, soaking up the tranquility and communing with my inner panda.

Jonas Grinevičius

Jonas Grinevičius

Writer, BoredPanda staff

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Storytelling, journalism, and art are a core part of who I am. I've been writing and drawing ever since I could walk—there is nothing else I'd rather do. My formal education, however, is focused on politics, philosophy, and economics because I've always been curious about the gap between the ideal and the real. At work, I'm a Senior Writer and I cover a broad range of topics that I'm passionate about: from psychology and changes in work culture to healthy living, relationships, and design. In my spare time, I'm an avid hiker and reader, enjoy writing short stories, and love to doodle. I thrive when I'm outdoors, going on small adventures in nature. However, you can also find me enjoying a big mug of coffee with a good book (or ten) and entertaining friends with fantasy tabletop games and sci-fi movies.

Read less »

Jonas Grinevičius

Jonas Grinevičius

Writer, BoredPanda staff

Storytelling, journalism, and art are a core part of who I am. I've been writing and drawing ever since I could walk—there is nothing else I'd rather do. My formal education, however, is focused on politics, philosophy, and economics because I've always been curious about the gap between the ideal and the real. At work, I'm a Senior Writer and I cover a broad range of topics that I'm passionate about: from psychology and changes in work culture to healthy living, relationships, and design. In my spare time, I'm an avid hiker and reader, enjoy writing short stories, and love to doodle. I thrive when I'm outdoors, going on small adventures in nature. However, you can also find me enjoying a big mug of coffee with a good book (or ten) and entertaining friends with fantasy tabletop games and sci-fi movies.

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