They are separate prides Arizona Docent, which came from the same zoo in Poland back in 2010. They were in extremely bad living conditions,steel cages with concrete floors,and have become in-bred so cant be used in any sort of breeding programme. There are 3 separate prides in separate enclosures which they rotate periodically. They are gradually thinning out though through old age,and unfortunately 3 lioness' of one pride had an altercation with their male who suffered injuries bad enough that he had to be put to sleep.I hope that they may be able to introduce those 3 females into another pride of 2 brothers and a lioness so it frees up one of the enclosures for another species such as Cheetah's,but don't know if that is on the cards.
I would add that there are "hot-wires" suspended just above the waters surface so even if they decided to try and venture across to the other prides these would soon turn them back.
I'm afraid there is limited shade in the 3 lion enclosures Rhinopethecus ,as they seem to have urinated on all the trees that are in there to such an extent that they have nearly all died off. They have planted new trees and tried to completely protect them with wooden shuttering,but it will take a while to establish a good canopy on them.Each enclosure has got shelter in the form of "caves" to get out of the sun,but I hardly ever see them occupied.(1 of these can be seen on the far left hand side of the photo) There is plenty of fresh water in the form of the lake between 2 of them and this is fed by a large waterfall from the 3rd enclosure so they have more than adequate refreshment and ways to cool if needed.
The close proximity of the 3 enclosures does have one great advantage that every now and again,usually just before closing time in the winter months,the lions have a good roar at each other.Still makes the hairs stand up on the back of my neck even after 4 years of hearing them.
