Potter Park Zoo is caring for two new lions that have been added to the park. The additions came just in time, as the zoo announced a 22-year-old lion died Wednesday.
22-year-old Amboseli called Potter Park Zoo her home since 1989. The African lion was being treated for kidney failure for a few years, but finally lost her battle.
“With the treatments that we were doing and the way that we were managing them, we got to a point where she wasn’t feeling well and we couldn’t treat her anymore,” said Dr. Harrison, Veterinarian at Potter Park Zoo.
Amboseli is the 4th animal death at the zoo this year. A red panda, a Yukon gray wolf and a snow leopard also died. The zoo says that number is down from years past and they don’t expect attendance to drop as a result.
Dr. Harrison says the passing of Amboseli was expected, but thanks to a survival plan with the Association of Zoo’s and Aquariums, they will be adding two new cubs to the current male cub, Coda.
It’s sort of a dating service for endangered species. They plan everyone’s genetics, age and where animals go where and when. The zoo hopes the new lions will be a breeding match for Coda. It’s something Roberta Jacobowitz says would be a big hit.
“Just look at the interest of having the tigers here, certainly if we have lion cubs here in the next few years, that would be for a great thing for the lions as well as the education for the people around,” said Jacobwitz, a Potter Park volunteer.
The two new lions, Saida and Ulana, will be on exhibit in February.
Potter Park Zoo is open daily from 10 to 4pm and admission is free for the public until March.
See video at:
http://www.wlns.com/story/16414011/potter-park-zoo-welcomes-2-new-lions
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