Lion News

Zoo staff are mourning the loss of Shera, a female African lion who was humanely euthanized May 7.

African lion Shera has been a protective sister, a bossy mate and a doting mother. After a life well lived, keepers are preparing to say goodbye to the matriarch of the Zoo's pride.

Recently, our Great Cats team bid farewell to African lion Amahle, who moved to another zoo to breed. Keeper Katy Juliano shares how Amahle's mother, Shera, is adjusting in this update.

Few animals are as regarded—and feared—as the largest carnivores of the African savannah. But how much do you really know about lions?

Even lions have to go to the doctor! Luckily for our lioness Shera, that just involves a short ride to our on-site veterinary hospital in a new, state-of-the art veterinary ambulance.

Staff at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute are mourning the loss of Luke, an African lion who was humanely euthanized Oct. 19. He was 17 years old.

Staff at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute are grieving the loss of Nababiep, a female African lion affectionately called Naba, who was humanely euthanized Sept. 26. She was 18 years old.

As animals age, they have more health care needs. Fortunately, our lions are eager to participate in training that helps us care for them!

The lions and tigers at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo who tested presumptive positive for COVID-19 the week of Sept. 13 are behaving and eating normally.

The lions and tigers at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo continue to be treated for COVID-19. All tigers and lions, including the three lions noted of concern in the Sept. 24 update, are improving and eating.

The lions and tigers at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo continue to be treated for COVID-19. All tigers and three lions are eating normally and improving. Three lions are of greater concern.

How do animal keepers take a blood sample from an elephant or examine a big cat's teeth? Find out how training helps keepers care for animals that they can't share a physical space with in this update.

Lions, tigers, cheetahs and bobcats – let’s play! Keepers Katy Juliano, Adri Kopp and Amber Dedrick know how to get the big cats they work with pouncing, roaring and purring for enrichment.

A new genomic study ranks the potential of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein to bind to the ACE2 receptor site in 410 vertebrate animals. Old World primates and great apes, which have identical amino acids at the binding site as humans, are predicted to have a very high propensity for binding ACE2 and...

From flamingo courtships to weekly weigh-ins for the African lions, the Smithsonian’s National Zoo is buzzing with beastly activity behind the scenes!

Fall is upon us, which means that it’s a great time to visit the Great Cats exhibit to see our African lions in action! When the temperature is between 45 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit, the cats are at their most frisky.

Lion cubs grow up fast, and even faster in zoos. In a long-term study, scientists at SCBI found that male African lions living in human care hit puberty a full year earlier than their counterparts in the wild.

Treat dad like the king (of the jungle) he is at the Smithsonian's National Zoo!

Visitors may have noticed that 12-year-old African lion Luke has had an on-again, off-again limp. As part of his treatment, the veterinary team is performing deep-tissue laser therapy, electroacupuncture and dry-needle acupuncture on the affected areas.

Sometimes, even top predators need a leg up in order to survive. The recent boom in Kenya’s human population prompted people to sprawl and build their homes on the savannah. As a result, increased competition among wildlife for territory, food, water and mates can spell trouble for many the animals.

For the first time in this pride, Zoo veterinarians have successfully drawn blood from a lion—a juvenile male named Jumbe—while he was awake. Keeper Rebecca Stites reveals what this means for the health and future of the lion pride in the latest Q&A. How do you draw blood from an African lion? With...

A mystery: African lions are breeding, but they’re not producing cubs. Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute science sleuths are on the case! Their goal: to determine the cause of the cub “bust” by studying the hormones in female lion feces. Their findings were published a PLOS-ONE paper...

What does it take to keep up with a sextuplet of juvenile African lions? In the latest Keeper Q & A, Rebecca Stites and Kristen Clark dish on the cats' quirky personalities, training triumphs, and big changes to come. As the cubs grow, how do they behave toward their parents and each other? The...

January 24 and March 2 mark our African lion cubs first birthdays! Animal keepers Kristen Clark and Rebecca Stites reveal what's new with the cubs in the latest Q&A! How have the cubs' personalities developed? Rebecca: The personality of each begins to show itself at just a few weeks old, and these...

The six lion cubs at the Great Cats Exhibit are growing fast and their husbandry training sessions are in full swing! Parents Luke, Naba and Shera have their paws full with the rambunctious cubs—but it's our animal care team's challenge to care for the entire pride. Curator Craig Saffoe and keepers...