Australasian African Lion Population

Auckland Zoo - Non Breeding Pride

The zoo have confirmed they have no breeding recommendation to obtain a male lion and therefore will be maintaining a pride of three females. A little disappointing, though it explains the decision to import three females.

It’s strange all four of Nairibi’s offspring (two males at Melbourne; two females at Auckland) are in non breeding situations; while all five of Nilo’s male offspring have gone into breeding situations and her remaining daughter will likely be joined by a male at Werribee.

Nilo and Nairibi are half siblings (they share a father) and their offspring are half siblings, so the genetic diversification (from Nairibi’s mother) would be small; though an improvement on breeding solely from Nilo’s offspring. It’s probably a moot point when this species can (and has been) readily imported from South Africa - with several new founders joining the regional population over the last two decades.
 
I guess the six Lions now added to the Central Coast zoo could be added to the population list but I would not know the parents of them.
 
Zorro said:
I guess the six Lions now added to the Central Coast zoo could be added to the population list but I would not know the parents of them.
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Central Coast Zoo have promised us an introduction to each of the six lions over the next few days, so I’ll update it in a week or so. They were apparently the last performing lions in the region, so along with the Lennon Bros Circus’ lions, will be the last performing lions to join this list.
 
Zoofan15 said:
Central Coast Zoo have promised us an introduction to each of the six lions over the next few days, so I’ll update it in a week or so. They were apparently the last performing lions in the region, so along with the Lennon Bros Circus’ lions, will be the last performing lions to join this list.
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In the meantime I did find this online (from February 2013):

Two new additions to the show are lion cubs Zaire and Zimbi, a dynamic brother/sister duo who are the 21st generation of Stardust Circus lions.

Lion up for the circus
 
Astrobird said:
i found the names of 3 more of their lions - Akita, Hulk & Massai
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Since CCZ are continuing to keep us in suspense, I’ve also done some research and the pride of six lions comprises of three males and three females: Massai (male), Nairobi (female), Zaire (male), Zimbi (female), Hulk (male) and Akita (female).

Zaire and Zimbi were born approx Dec 2012 and although they’re from a different litter to Massai and Nairobi, they’re similar in age as an article describes the quartet as cubs. Hulk and Masai were born approximately January 2015 - an article from July 2015 shows them as cubs of around six months of age.
 
Australasian African Lion Update

Transfers

Auckland Zoo received 0.3 lions from Werribee Open Range Zoo; while Central Coast Zoo received 3.3 lions from Stardust Circus. Auckland Zoo is a renewed holder, having previously held lions from 1922 to April 2021; while Central Coast Zoo is a new holder.

Auckland Zoo:

0.1 Aziza (12/12/2016) Johari x Nairibi
0.1 Kibibi (12/12/2016) Johari x Nairibi
0.1 Ilola (12/08/2017) Johari x Nilo

Central Coast Zoo:

1.0 Zaire (2012)
0.1 Zimbi (2012)
1.0 Maasai (2013) Dominant male
0.1 Nairobi (2013)
1.0 Hulk (2015)
0.1 Akita (2015)

Births

1.1 cubs were born to Xander and Bella at Paradise Valley Springs on 01/05/2021.

2.3 cubs were born to Ato and Maya at Taronga Zoo on 12/08/2021.

Deaths

1.0 Zamba at Kama Wildlife Sanctuary died on 13/07/2021 aged 19 years.
 
steveroberts said:
Nice names, I wonder if the girls will join a pride together and if the boys will stay together as a brother duo when they join a different pride.
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I believe the plan is for at least one female cub to be retained to give Maya company. Introducing one lioness to two males was an unusual way to found a pride and they were no doubt hoping for at least one female cub in the litter to balance it out.

I wouldn’t be surprised if the remaining 2.2 were sent to Wellington Zoo as a non breeding pride. They’re not especially valuable genetically due to their extensive representation on their father’s side and Wellington would no doubt be happy to hold a small cohesive pride after a decade spent rotating exhibit use between their males and females.
 
steveroberts said:
@Zoofan15 Oh theres a lioness at Perth named Zuri who is cub Zuri's older half sister? Yeah that confusing
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It’s bad enough when two zoos who are both part of the regional breeding programme for a species do this sort of thing, but two offspring from the same animal - each born between two sister zoos (Taronga and Taronga Western Plains Zoo) is really showing a lack of imagination.

It’s not that hard to find decent original names. Off the top of my head I’d have suggested Barika (meaning bloom/flourishing) - to represent the beginning of a new pride in a new exhibit/new precinct; or Jamani (meaning friend) - as lionesses share close bonds.
 
@MRJ @Zoofan15 Would be nice though if the two Lionesses had different names though still, those are some nice names Barika and Jamani, I do like all the other names too but Zuri has already been used before {note: I know its not even remotely important if I like or dislike the sounds of names chosen for individual animals, but I do like the approach over the last 20/30? (some places much longer) to give animals names that reflect human names and words that come from the countries/continents the animals in-situ conspecifics are native}
 
steveroberts said:
@MRJ @Zoofan15 Would be nice though if the two Lionesses had different names though still, those are some nice names Barika and Jamani, I do like all the other names too but Zuri has already been used before {note: I know its not even remotely important if I like or dislike the sounds of names chosen for individual animals, but I do like the approach over the last 20/30? (some places much longer) to give animals names that reflect human names and words that come from the countries/continents the animals in-situ conspecifics are native}
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From what I’ve seen, posts about animals with human names e.g. Samantha the chimp receive more engagement with the general public than geographically appropriate names.

However, the latter has long been the preference of our region’s zoos and encourages respect for the animal rather than anthropomorphising it.

The best compromise is to find names that fit both criteria. Geographically appropriate names that are also human names like Nisha and Kem (Kembali) are always a hit.
 
Wellington Zoo - Lion Import

Lions return to Wellington Zoo

Wellington Zoo are importing two male lions from Copenhagen Zoo. The two young males (brothers) arrive this week.

I’m excited to see if any female imports follow. It would be great to see a cohesive pride housed at Wellington for the first time since 2006!
 
@Zoofan15 Awesome news go Wellington, am assuming the two males are unrelated to any of the Lions in our region which is great for further genetic diversity; having said that is it true our regions Lions are doing pretty well lately already with gene diversity right? Think am so use to reading about our regions Sumatran Tiger family tree that am getting wires crossed about which species need more founders and which are doing good lol, either way great news about the two brothers arriving
 
steveroberts said:
@Zoofan15 Awesome news go Wellington, am assuming the two males are unrelated to any of the Lions in our region which is great for further genetic diversity; having said that is it true our regions Lions are doing pretty well lately already with gene diversity right? Think am so use to reading about our regions Sumatran Tiger family tree that am getting wires crossed about which species need more founders and which are doing good lol, either way great news about the two brothers arriving
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Werribee’s imports (Nilo and Nairibi) also came from Denmark (Givskud Zoo), so I’d need to check out if they’re related. If they are, I’d imagine it’d be distantly given there would have been many zoos in Europe they could have sourced lions from.

Compared to the Sumatran tiger population, the genetic diversity of our region’s African lions is excellent. We have several founders - including some from South Africa.

I’d love to see Wellington Zoo import lionesses from outside the region, though there are several unrelated lionesses in the region.

The most valuable unpaired lionesses are:

0.1 Nuru (04/01/2019) Milo x Misty
0.1 Zoraya (04/01/2019) Milo x Misty

They’re the daughters of two South African born founders; though as we’ve seen with the tigers, genetically valuable animals are often paired with well represented animals e.g. pairing the Indonesian imports with tigers from the Nico/Meta line.
 
Zoofan15 said:
The most valuable unpaired lionesses are:

0.1 Nuru (04/01/2019) Milo x Misty
0.1 Zoraya (04/01/2019) Milo x Misty

They’re the daughters of two South African born founders; though as we’ve seen with the tigers, genetically valuable animals are often paired with well represented animals e.g. pairing the Indonesian imports with tigers from the Nico/Meta line.
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Yeah that was a brain wrinkle finding out that the Indonesian imported Sumatran Tigers were paired almost immediately with the Nico/Meta line it was like an opportunity to avoid mingling their diverse genes for a few generations but immediately they were just paired into that line way too prematurely (in terms of that line being so all encompassing in the region just mean their progeny would eventually mingle but again they chose to just do it right away almost which was a waste of new unrelated genetic variation hey).

Surely hope the same is not to be the plan for Nuru and Zoraya. Cool to know now about them now as the most gen-div' valuable lions in the region. Are Milo and Misty still around?
 
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