Elderly African lions named Hubert and Kalisa living at the Los Angeles Zoo were put to sleep at the same time so that they wouldn’t have to live without each other on their last days alone.
These 21-year-old loyal lovers have been together for many years and were well known for their “frequent cuddles” that have been witnessed by visitors and staff alike. Hubert was born in the Lincoln Park Zoo on the 7th of February, 1999 and fathered 10 cubs, while Kalisa was born in the Oklahoma City Zoo on the 26th of December, 1998. They met one another after both moving to the L.A. Zoo in 2014, and while they never had offspring together, they were completely inseparable since then.
Los Angeles Zoo officials came out with a statement that was posted on their Instagram account saying, “it is with a heavy heart that we announce the loss of our African lion pair,” adding that their action to “humanely euthanize” the pair proved to be very difficult for them.
Denise Verret, zoo director and CEO said that:
“Hubert and Kalisa are an iconic part of the L.A. Zoo experience, and our staff and guests have been touched by their loyal companionship. Their longevity is truly a testament to the level of expert care our veterinary and animal care teams provide for our elderly animals. These lions will remain a positive part of our history, and they will be greatly missed.”
Beth Schaefer, L.A. Zoo animal programs director told the Los Angeles times that:
“These lions were charismatic both together as partners and separately, but they were hardly ever apart from one another. Their undivided attention was always on the other as they rested together, cuddled and nuzzled often.”
Alisa Behar, mammal curator also stated that:
“This is a very hard loss for our zoo community. In the early mornings, staff would routinely hear Hubert’s waking roars, and I will personally miss hearing them on my walks around the grounds. You cannot think of Hubert without thinking of his companion, Kalisa; they’ve been an inseparable couple for years.”
The couple were both moved to the L.A. Zoo and Botanical Gardens when they were both 17. This is typically considered an old age for these majestic cats since they only live to be about 10 to 15 years in the wild.
According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, the African Lion is under the classification of “vulnerable.” While they say that this “king of beasts” is not facing an imminent extinction, there are only about 25,000 lions left living in the wild located all over Africa, while three quarters of their population is on a steady decline.
Although the lion’s population has increased in Southern African countries like Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia and South Africa by 12 percent, their numbers all across West, Central and East Africa have declined by a whopping 60 percent. So, while their Red List status is under “vulnerable,” the lion meets the criterion as an endangered species in most areas of its population.
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