Ziv, the new male lion at Jerusalem's Biblical Zoo, getting comfy in his new lair (photo credit: Flash 90)
Recent arrivals at Biblical Zoo from Germany and Czech Republic to join male brought earlier this year
September 20, 2014, 1:59 pm
Jerusalem’s Biblical Zoo on Thursday announced the arrival of two Asiatic lions from European zoos to join its collection.
The
two lionesses were acquired from the zoos in Magdeburg, Germany and
Prague, Czech Republic. The elder, from Prague, is 13-years-old and the
younger German lioness is a year-and-a-half-old. The zoo didn’t disclose
the names of its new additions.
“They are both acclimating behind the scenes
and will soon slowly get used to their new home and come outside into
their courtyard,” the Biblical Zoo said on Facebook. “We will provide
ongoing updates.”
The two females will accompany the current resident male Asiatic lion, Ziv, who was imported from Sweden earlier this year.
Lider, a 16-year-old Asiatic lion, was put to sleep
last year after veterinarians and keepers decided that his difficulties
in walking and standing, brought on by chronic back pain, were
insufferable. The zoo has since sought to bring additional big cats to
the park to replace him.
Asian lions were once indigenous to Israel and
the Middle East, but now a mere 359 or so animals exist in the wild in
the Gir Forest of India, according to a local conservation group. Another 200 Asiatic lions live in zoos worldwide.
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