African Lion
Species Name: African Lion
Scientific Name: Panthera leo
Continent: Africa
Animal Name(s): Shombay (male, DOB 7/24/08) and Kaya (female, DOB 11/6/07)
Working Together:
Unlike other large cats, lions live in groups called prides.
In a pride, female lions do most of the hunting. They will also scavenge, following vultures to dead prey. Males patrol the territory, guard the cubs, and fight when needed to protect the pride.
Lions sleep most of the day, conserving energy for when they need it most—hunting, mating, and fighting.
At Reid Park Zoo:
Zoo lions are great hunters too—they occasionally catch unfortunate birds that land in this habitat.
When zoo keepers defrost meat for the lions, the drippings are saved and frozen into blood popsicles as a special “treat.”
Zoo Parents:
- Emma Johns
- Page Chancellor-Marks
- John Baffert
- Helen Holliday
- Jack Fritz Jr.
- Alexandra McCormick
