City’s only maned big cat was a star attraction at Biblical Zoo; only a few hundred Asiatic lions remain worldwide
September 23, 2013, 8:38 pm
Lider the lion, at the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo (photo credit: Jerusalem Biblical Zoo/Yarah Tamari)
Jerusalem’s only male lion, who
for more than a decade was a popular draw at the city’s Biblical Zoo,
died after a sharp decline in his already failing health.
Lider,
16, an Asiatic lion, was put to sleep last Thursday after veterinarians
and keepers decided that his difficulties in walking and standing,
brought on by chronic back pain, were insufferable. A series of X-rays
and CT scans performed at the Beit Dagan animal hospital over the past
two weeks showed that his condition was incurable and deteriorating.
The Jerusalem Zoo said in a statement that it
has begun looking for a pair of young lions to bring in as replacements;
the lion exhibit now has just one lioness left.
However, Zoo spokesperson Sigalit Dvir told
the Times of Israel that keepers must also take into consideration the
zoo’s last remaining lioness Ileniya. Introducing large cats to each
other in zoo exhibits is a delicate business that can take several weeks
to complete.
Chief Carnivore Keeper at the Jerusalem
Biblical Zoo Dennis Smith took care of Lider for the last 14 years and
described how well the lion got on with Ileniya. The lioness now seems
to be missing her mate, often appearing to search for him, calling for
him, sniffing around in the closure, said Smith. “It is very sad,” he
said.
Chief
Carnivore Keeper at the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo Dennis Smith with Lider
the lion. (photo credit: Jerusalem Biblical Zoo/Tal Naveh)
Visitors were often treated to the sight of
Lider rearing up against the windows of his enclosure but Smith admitted
he could never really trust the wild animal.
“Whenever he saw me he would always jump up and never take his eyes off me,” he recalled.
The lion first arrived at the zoo 14 years ago
from Poland as a young cub and soon became something of a celebrity as
the only male lion in Jerusalem.
The Jerusalem municipal emblem
Jerusalem’s official city emblem features a
lion, echoing the lion symbol of the biblical tribe of Judah and later
the Kingdom of Judah, which established its capital in Jerusalem under
King David.
Asiatic lions are an endangered species, with
only around 300 left in the Gir Forest Sanctuary in India and another
330 in captivity. Zoos around the world are engaged in a breeding
program to try and save the faltering species from extinction.
However, with the relatively small number of
Asian lions available — by comparison there are over 1,600 African lions
in captivity — inbreeding is common and as a result many of the animals
have genetic disorders affecting their health. Lider himself was born
sterile as a result and an illness that afflicted his nervous system was
likely brought on by genetic problems.
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