In the wild a typical pride of lions consists of about six related females, their offspring and two to three males. Like lion prides in the wild, members of lion prides in zoos are always changing as older animals die and offspring are born. Changes in our lion pride at the Zoo have been ongoing as well. When we first opened our lion exhibit in 2010 we had four young lions born at the Oklahoma City Zoo including a male named Xerxes and three sisters Zari, Malaika and Kalliope. In support of the Species Survival Plan for African lions we sent Xerxes to the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle in exchange for a younger male named Rudo. We hope to have offspring someday and since Xerxes was directly related to the three females there was a possibility that Rudo could someday breed with one of them. Unfortunately, during the summer of 2020, we lost Rudo when he suffered a neurological disorder which left the right side of his body completely paralyzed. A year later we lost Kalliope who was diagnosed with thymoma. Both losses remind us of how Zoo animals like people all pass away someday even when we go above and beyond in giving them the best possible care.

Today we still have both Zari and Malaika and a new five-year old male.  Hodari was born on October 25, 2017 at the Pueblo Zoo and is very inquisitive and likes to play with new toys.  On the other hand, he is a majestic ambassador of African lions, helping to conserve his species in the wild as an important part of the Species Survival Program.  Like Zari and Malaika as a conservation ambassador he inspires all of us to support conservation efforts in the wild like the ongoing Lion Guardians conservation program we support in East Africa.

When you visit the Zoo and watch for Hodari you may become a little confused when you see one of our female lionesses.  Zari has developed extra hair growth, giving the appearance of a mane that is typical of male lions.  This is usually caused by hormonal changes.  The El Paso Zoo is participating in a study of hormonal changes in female lions to determine the exact cause of this phenomenon, seen occasionally in female lions in zoos and in the wild.

Lions are the only cats that live in groups called prides.  This social system helps the pride maintain its hunting territory which is critical to the pride’s long-term future.  Groups of females usually hunt together for preferred prey species including wildebeest, zebra, Cape buffalo, and various species of antelope. A single female can kill smaller animals, but when they hunt larger animals like Cape buffalo and kudu the pride is more successful when they hunt as a team in cutting off all avenues of escape and in helping to bring the animal to the ground.

Cover – Martin, Wikimedia Creative Commons
Top – Rick LoBello
Second – El Paso Zoological Society
Bottom – El Paso Zoo