@Julio C Castro Yep, The Zoo has three islands for the lions, all connecting at one point into the nightroom, but the lions can never access each other. It was built in 2000 by the AngloGold Company. Each Island contains a different pride.
This video might provide a better idea of the enclosure.
@Nix thank you for the link! I do like that they set it up with being very mindful to the forming of different prides, I bet it’s all blossomed so well over the years
@Julio C Castro It really has! The zoo is quite successful in breeding them too, several White lions in the US and EU were bred in this enclosure, though the zoo has stopped producing white lions due to, what I presume, ethical concerns.
@Nix I totally get it, especially in todays world it could be controversial. Would they be panthera leo krugeri? Perhaps the SDZ Safari Park got some from this zoo when they started their Lion Camp exhibit in 2004
It’s entirely possible and more likely then not, that SDZ got them from Joburg. Perhaps there is some information on the web about it, I’ll search for it.
It seems that SDZ Safari Park's Lions did indeed come from a "zoo" in South Africa, Whether that means Johannesburg or one of the many private facilities breeding White Lions, I cannot say for sure.
Looking up the bloodline of Johannesburg Zoo's white lions, They were once quite prevalent in the US being first imported by Philadelphia in 1995. From there they bred and offspring were kept at both Toledo, Columbus, and Cincinnati.
To my knowledge, the only lions left in the US with Johannesburg genetics in the AZA were two females at Cincinnati, but the article does mention they were planned to be moved. Perhaps one of our other North American members will have more information?
@Nix thank you so much for the research, I truly appreciate it! I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re truly more lions in NA that came from this zoo and would certainly explain that influx of the subspecies in the mid to late 2010’s
