A good photo in an exhibit that is not very good at all. (I think it was built in the 1930's). Fortunately, the lions are moving to better digs when Elephant Odyssey opens next month. I can't wait to see what it and the neighboring jaguar exhibit will look like.
The lion exhibit in San Diego is not nearly as bad as many make it out to be for two geriatric lionesses. Not very suitable for a young active pride, but for two elderly ladies it works pretty well.
I can't wait to see Nindiri (jaguar) in her new exhibit in Elephant Odyssey. Orson is staying in Cat Canyon as he is too old to be moved. San Diego is going to bring in a new breeding male to breed with Nindiri.
We got a behind-the-scenes look the other day. Our guide described the enclosure as one of the older at the zoo, showing the age of course, but I thought it was adequate for now. The feeling was amazing to be just feet away from those to old girls. Even when seen from the exhibit front these "geriatric lionesses" are something. The Wild Animal Park exhibit is also amazing with only a glass to separate. You can really see the beauty of these large animals.
As who makes it out to be? I was just stating that it was constructed in the 90's. (it may have been a remodel of an old grotto, but it is MOST definitely not the original lion grotto that Ellen Browning Scripps donated to the zoo in the early 20th century, it may take me awhile, but I can find the reference in an old Zoonooz magazine where they stated it was torn down and the new grotto was build as a "temporary" lion exhibit)
We got a behind-the-scenes look the other day. Our guide described the enclosure as one of the older at the zoo, showing the age of course, but I thought it was adequate for now. The feeling was amazing to be just feet away from those to old girls. Even when seen from the exhibit front these "geriatric lionesses" are something. The Wild Animal Park exhibit is also amazing with only a glass to separate. You can really see the beauty of these large animals.
Maybe I misunderstood you but I wasn't doubting that these "geriatric lionesses" weren't something, I was merely pointing out that they are old. I have seen them in person, and Mweezi and Tango are most definitely very lovely ladies.
Not exactly the reference I was looking for, but here is a mention from before the lion grotto was demolished in the December 1998 Zoonooz.
But I want to address an issue today that may be controversial to many friends of the Society and, indeed, it is to some of our staff: the old lion grotto must go. Not only is it deteriorating but it is also a poor home for the lions, as well as occupying an area that is part of our Zoo's renewal plan. True, it may represent a "historic" aspect of zookeeping, just as Model T automobiles did for the car industry. But we drive improved cars today, and the lions certainly deserve a better exhibit than they now have. We will demolish it and next to it, partially encompassing its space, we will build a much more acceptable enclosure for a group of douc langurs, which are now housed off exhibit
The historians among you will be glad to knwo that we are capturing the historical aspects of this lion grotto on film before removing it. And when a new lion exhibit is created, we will have the photos, before and after, to show what improvements have been made...
I'll keep looking for the reference for when the lions went back on exhibit in their current home, and any information I can find about their current exhibit.
San Diego Zoo Blogs Blog Archive Golden Girls in Their Golden Years San Diego Zoo Blogs Blog Archive Transvaal Lion Answers
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Transvaal Lion Answers
Posted at 11:05 am February 28, 2008 by Hali Anderson
Thanks, everyone, for your questions regarding Transvaal lionesses Tango and Mweezi (see Hali’s blog, Golden Girls in Their Golden Years). Hopefully, I will address all of them in this blog. First of all, our girls are Transvaal lions Panthera leo krugeri. All lions are Panthera leo, but depending on where they are found, they have a subspecies name. The Transvaal lion’s range is in South Africa. Depending on the source, it is noted that there are between 5 and 12 subspecies of lions; all but one, the Asian lion Panthera leo persica, are located in Africa and listed as vulnerable. Subspecies persica is located in Asia and is listed as endangered.
Tango and Mweezi were born August 12, 1992, at the San Diego Zoo. They were relocated to the Wild Animal Park at an early age and were housed with each other. At one point, Tango was bred and produced a litter of three cubs in 1995. Unfortunately, the cubs had to be taken away and hand-reared because Tango wasn’t caring for them properly. As far as I know, she has never been bred since. In 2002, the girls were brought back to the San Diego Zoo, where they have been ever since.
The average lifespan of lions is 10 to 15 years in the wild and up to 30 years in managed-care facilities. With this in mind, Mweezi and Tango may only be middle aged!
Do they interact with any other lions? No, they are the only lions we have at the Zoo. A delightful pride of two!
Hali Anderson is a senior keeper at the San Diego Zoo.
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