Marvella and Jasiri, the SF Zoo’s last two African lions, are slated for transfer once an accredited facility is identified. Zoo officials say they explored keeping the lions on-site for more than a year but concluded relocation better supports long-term care as the animals age. The lions live in an 86-year-old enclosure with limited upgrades, including work in 2023, yet uneven surfaces and a moat design raise mobility concerns. Jasiri, 10, has a congenital spinal condition and receives ongoing therapeutic care, and the habitat would require major structural changes to safely accommodate him. Marvella, 11, arrived from Kansas in 2023, while Jasiri was born at the zoo in 2015 and has lived there his entire life. The zoo began preparing the lion habitat for giant pandas under a deal not yet finalized, and the habitat has also been flagged as unsafe for staff and visitors in a prior Chronicle report.
"“We have made the difficult decision to begin planning for their transfer to another accredited zoo that can better meet their long-term needs as they age,” said the zoo."
Read at sfist.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]