We have received three Asian lionesses (Panthera leo persica) with the aim of creating a group with Bala, the Asian lion male that has lived in the zoo for 11 years. The transfer of these females is part of the species reproduction programme (EEP) of the EAZA (Association of European Zoos). This subspecies is in danger of extinction, on the IUCN red list.
The young lionesses, called Anala, Kesari and Ramallah, come from the Chessington Zoo, they are sisters and are two years old. The veterinary team has confirmed the total adaptation of this group to its new environment, which is located in one of the enclosures of the Asian thematic area. The lionesses are adapting perfectly to their new life and they are playful and curious in their new home, as the zookeepers point out.
Within the EEP programme, great importance is given to the fact that animals socialize adequately. The Asian lion is a species that lives in family groups formed of a male, several females and their offspring. EEPs seek to secure the future of some of the most vulnerable species on the planet through awareness and in situ conservation work.
The Asian lion is the only subspecies of lion that lives in the Asian continent, in the reserve Gir Forest of India, and which has less than 200 lions. They are smaller than the African lions and have darkest and shorter fur. The females usually live up to 17 or 18 years, while the males around 16 years old. When they reach adulthood their mortality rate is less than 10%.
In the Gir forest, 33% of puppies die during their first year of life. Adult lions do not have predators, but they are vulnerable to the action of the human being, to the scarcity of prey and to the attacks of other lions. For this reason, the formation of stable groups is encouraged, in which the appropriate socialization guidelines are developed for the correct health and welfare of the animals.