According to a blog post, by Rebecca Whitham, on the Woodland Park Zoo website, the four young lions born here in November 2012 are old enough now to move on. It’s hard not to think of them as babies, but the siblings Pelo, Rudo, Busela, and Nobuhle are now nearly the size of their mother Adia, and getting closer to breeding age. This winter all four will be moved to new homes at accredited zoos, given the opportunity to pair up with new mates and eventually begin their own families through the Species Survival Plan conservation breeding program, while also making room for potential new cubs at the Zoo.
Pelo has already been relocated, to his new home at Henry Vilas Zoo in Madison, Wisconsin. After a carefully organized and overseen flight, Pelo touched down in his new home and has already shown very positive signs that he is adjusting. So far Adia and the remaining cubs also seem to react okay to Pelo’s absence. It’s typical for young male lions to separate from the pride.
The Zoo administration do not have dates set for the departures of the other young lions, although they estimate late this month, or early March. Rudo will be going to the El Paso Zoo, in Texas. His two sisters will move, together, to Hogle Zoo in Salt Lake City, Utah.
The father of the ‘cubs,’ Hubert, has also been moved – to the Los Angeles Zoo, in California – with his bonded mate, Kalisa. As Adia has proven to be an excellent month, she will be given an opportunity to breed with a new mate, arriving from El Paso Zoo in March. This match will also allow for a mix in the genetic diversity of Adia’s offspring.
Zoo keepers, and Adia’s other friends and fans, hope to see sparks fly between the two adult lions, and for more lion cubs to come to Woodland Park in the future!