Australasian African Lion Population

[Jambo]

Euthanasia of Kamo’s Remaining Lions

'There were no real options left': Last big cats to be euthanised at Whangārei's lion park

Some sad news that Kamo Wildlife Park’s seven remaining lions are to be euthanised this week, following the final closure of the park this weekend just been.

The lions are as follows:

0.1 Shikira (23/02/2004) Imported 2004
0.1 Imvula (28/07/2004) Imported 2004
1.0 Abdullah (31/01/2006) Gandor x Shikira
0.1 Cleo (31/01/2006) Gandor x Shikira
1.0 Timba (11/12/2006) Laduma x Imvula
1.0 Themba (11/12/2006) Laduma x Imvula
1.0 Sibili (27/01/2007) Laduma x Amafu

Very sad news, and I'm disappointed to see that no other facility within NZ (or even the region) has offered to take them on. It is such a large, aged group so I can perhaps see why there'd be limited takers.

I guess the positive is that at all seven lions are older; and have therefore, achieved long lives as it is. But still quite sad that this is the result nonetheless.

 

[Wisp O' Mist]

The relevant information in the article is as follows:

Last big cats to be euthanised at Whangārei's lion park as 'no real options left'

The last seven surviving big cats at Whangārei’s famous lion park will be euthanised this week.

Kamo Wildlife Sanctuary facility operator Janette Vallance said the difficult decision had been made by owners Bolton Equities. Bolton Equities told the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) yesterday they intended to put down the last of the park’s big cats.

Vallance said the park has officially closed to the public following its final weekend of trade.

Here’s a link to the announcement on the park’s Facebook page also: Log in or sign up to view

Thank you so much!

A very sad situation, but given that these are elderly lions that have been closely habituated to humans (The prior owner handreared them, yes?), not to mention they're all supposed to be declawed...

I can understand why the current owners have opted for this.

 

[Zoofan15]

Were they offered to other zoos within the region?

When the park was previously threatened with closure, no other facility in New Zealand was interested in taking them. Export overseas would be undesirable at their age (18-21 years).

Auckland, Wellington, Pouakai and Paradise Valley Springs are all at capacity and would be unable to introduce these elderly lions to their existing prides.

Orana, which has dwindling numbers in their own ageing prides, is about the only zoo that could have accommodated them (theoretically); but apparently weren’t interested.

 

[Wisp O' Mist]

Orana which has dwindling numbers of their own ageing prides is about the only zoo that could have accommodated them (theoretically), but apparently weren’t interested.

Isn't Orana also quite distant from where this pride is located, at that? Given the advanced age of the cats, I wouldn't be shocked if their ability to survive a long transfer was a serious welfare concern.

 

[Zoofan15]

Thank you so much!

A very sad situation, but given that these are elderly lions that have been closely habituated to humans (The prior owner handreared them, yes?), not to mention they're all supposed to be declawed...

I can understand why the current owners have opted for this.

All were declawed, though I note that Melbourne’s last breeding male Tsvao (and his brother Kruger) were declawed; yet were successfully introduced to Melbourne’s three mother raised lionesses without incident.

These five were peer raised (hand raised by keepers, but in cohorts with littermates or other cubs):

0.1 Shikira (23/02/2004) Imported 2004
0.1 Imvula (28/07/2004) Imported 2004
1.0 Abdullah (31/01/2006) Gandor x Shikira
0.1 Cleo (31/01/2006) Gandor x Shikira
1.0 Sibili (27/01/2007) Laduma x Amafu

From memory, these two were mother raised, but highly humanised due to staff entering the exhibit:

1.0 Timba (11/12/2006) Laduma x Imvula
1.0 Themba (11/12/2006) Laduma x Imvula

 

[Zoofan15]

Isn't Orana also quite distant from where this pride is located, at that? Given the advanced age of the cats, I wouldn't be shocked if their ability to survive a long transfer was a serious welfare concern.

That’s correct. It would be a 17 hour inter-island trip by road (or alternatively involving a short flight from Auckland to Christchurch). It wouldn’t be ideal and I certainly can’t blame Orana Wildlife Park for declining the opportunity to acquire these ageing lions.

Orana has two elderly prides and three exhibits (one of which is off display):

0.1 Leah (13/01/2004) Toby x Priscilla
0.1 Meeka (13/01/2004) Toby x Priscilla
1.0 Mambila (04/01/2011) Malik x Mishka

1.0 Kairangi (05/07/2009) Malik x Kiara
1.0 Tawhiri (05/07/2009) Malik x Kiara

The current plan is for Orana Wildlife Park to acquire more lions once these lions pass. Presumably these will be (young) breeding lions from Australian zoos.

 

[Zoofan15]

Update on Kamo Wildlife Park:

Imvula and Sibili have been euthanised:

0.1 Imvula (28/07/2004) Imported 2004
1.0 Sibili (27/01/2007) Laduma x Amafu

They had age related health issues that required euthanasia on welfare grounds (independent of the closure of the park).

The five remaining lions are being well cared for while their fate is decided:

0.1 Shikira (23/02/2004) Imported 2004
1.0 Abdullah (31/01/2006) Gandor x Shikira
0.1 Cleo (31/01/2006) Gandor x Shikira
1.0 Timba (11/12/2006) Laduma x Imvula
1.0 Themba (11/12/2006) Laduma x Imvula

Funding from the park’s investor ran out 10 days ago; but the park is now in discussion with people who have responded following news of their impending euthanasia, so there’s a glimmer of hope the remaining lions could be offered a reprieve.

The park have confirmed that due to their age (19-21 years), they’re not exploring the possibility of relocating the lions.

Reported on socials (06/11/2025).

 

[Tiger91]

Update on Kamo Wildlife Park:

Imvula and Sibili have been euthanised:

0.1 Imvula (28/07/2004) Imported 2004
1.0 Sibili (27/01/2007) Laduma x Amafu

They had age related health issues that required euthanasia on welfare grounds (independent of the closure of the park).

The five remaining lions are being well cared for while their fate is decided:

0.1 Shikira (23/02/2004) Imported 2004
1.0 Abdullah (31/01/2006) Gandor x Shikira
0.1 Cleo (31/01/2006) Gandor x Shikira
1.0 Timba (11/12/2006) Laduma x Imvula
1.0 Themba (11/12/2006) Laduma x Imvula

Funding from the park’s investor ran out 10 days ago; but the park is now in discussion with people who have responded following news of their impending euthanasia, so there’s a glimmer of hope the remaining lions could be offered a reprieve.

The park have confirmed that due to their age (19-21 years), they’re not exploring the possibility of relocating the lions.

Reported on socials (06/11/2025).

Realistically the stress of a move would probably off a few anyway at there ages. Old animals do not tolerate stress well.
It would be good to see the local gov step in and give funding to enable the lions to live out there remaining lives where they are. It won't feasibly be all that long.

 

[Tam Skylonobi]

I was not able to find news upon what happened to Laduma so it comes to a surprise to me that he wasn't mentioned about Kamo euthanising their lions?

 

[Zoofan15]

I was not able to find news upon what happened to Laduma so it comes to a surprise to me that he wasn't mentioned about Kamo euthanising their lions?

Laduma (male white lion) died March 2025:

From Kamo Wildlife Park’s socials (15/03/2025):

Laduma had developed ataxia in the latter part of 2024. This has been managed, with the knowledge that there would eventually be deterioration in his condition. He was not in any pain due to the ataxia, but it would eventually affect his mobility.

In the last week, the ataxia had worsened. The decision was made to euthanise Laduma earlier this week.

 

[Tigergal]

A family member visited Mogo Wildlife Park today and 1.0 Mafuta and 0.1 Mnandi are no longer on display, with 1.0 Duke and 1.0 Kion, the cubs born in late 2023, being moved into their enclosure. Given they’re 19 years old, having them retired off display or them passing wouldn’t be surprising at all.

 

[Zoofan15]

A family member visited Mogo Wildlife Park today and 1.0 Mafuta and 0.1 Mnandi are no longer on display, with 1.0 Duke and 1.0 Kion, the cubs born in late 2023, being moved into their enclosure. Given they’re 19 years old, having them retired off display or them passing wouldn’t be surprising at all.

Thanks for the update. I will follow up to confirm if Mafuta and Mnandi are deceased, though given their age it seems likely. They wouldn’t have transferred them to another zoo at their age, so the only remaining possibility is they’ve been retired to a BOH exhibit like you say.

It’ll be interesting to see if Baako and Evelyn breed again. Evelyn appears to have been placed on contraception at some stage considering her offspring are two years old now and no subsequent litter has followed. Her sister Marion at Dubbo has been more productive, welcoming three litters.

Especially if no more litters follow, it seems likely Duke and Kion will be housed at Mogo long term. They’re related to most of the reproductive aged female lions in the region via their paternal grandfather (Lazarus).

Hunter Valley Zoo:

1.0 Phoenix (23/12/2019) Baako x Chitwa
0.1 Maji (11/12/2020) Baako x Zuri

0.1 Snow (00/00/2004) Imported 2004 (South Africa)
0.1 Chitwa (10/08/2014) Mac x Snow
1.0 Roc (00/04/2022) Baako x Chitwa

Mogo Zoo:

1.0 Baako (28/02/2015) Lazarus x Maya
0.1 Evelyn (22/06/2014) Imported 2018 (United States)
1.0 Duke (00/11/2023) Baako x Evelyn
1.0 Kion (00/11/2023) Baako x Evelyn

1.0 Mafuta (15/07/2006) Tim x Snow - deceased?
0.1 Mnandi (15/07/2006) Tim x Snow - deceased?