Had he been alive to this time, Cecil The Lion could be a proud grandfather to his grandcubs, which are believed to have been spotted earlier at Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe.
Wildlife photographer Graham Simmonds had seen eight lion cubs being led down a grassy path by their mother.
"Buli, our guide, informed us that the two lionesses had been mating with a male named Xanda some months back," Simmonds said, detailing his encounter with the adorable animals in Africa Geographic. "Xanda is one of Cecil the lion's sons that has recently come into his prime, and the cubs seen here are thought to be the 'grandcubs' of the legendary Cecil." he added.
Sam Mushandu, a guide at Hwange's Linkwasha camp, estimates that the cubs might be about four months old. According to other guides, they have recently spotted a total of 10 cubs.
A lion's family tree often spans across different prides and great distances. Xanda, one of Cecil's surviving sons, has grown up and formed his own pride. And now, Xanda is raising Cecil's grandcubs.
Unfortunately, Cecil will not be able to see his grandkids grow.
A beloved icon at Hwange National Park, Cecil was killed by American dentist Walter Palmer in July, for which he paid $55,000 to hunt and kill.
The death of the tourist-favorite lion sparked the anger of people from all over the world.
Cecil was 13-years-old when he died, and he was just one of the many animals who unfortunately lost their lives because of trophy hunting. Hunters, some of whom are American tourists, have been engaged in this kind of activity for the last 15 years, and they habitually show off their kill on social media.
"Cecil was the ultimate lion," said Brent Stapelkamp, a field researcher in Oxford University's Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU). "He was large, powerful, but regal at the same time."