Adia (uh-DEE-uh), Woodland Park Zoo’s sole female South African lion, passed away yesterday, May 21, at 9 years old from complications during surgery. The lion had been anesthetized for a procedure recheck exam at the zoo’s veterinary hospital due to slow healing after recent abdominal surgery.
“During yesterday’s procedure, we took radiographs of Adia and discovered complications that required emergency surgery. We were able to surgically resolve these problems but, unfortunately, she went into cardiac arrest just prior to anesthetic recovery. Despite exhaustive efforts to save her, we were unsuccessful,” said Dr. Tim Storms, associate veterinarian at Woodland Park Zoo.
“This is a very sad time for our zoo family. Adia had given birth to two litters of seven amazing cubs with two different companions,” said Martin Ramirez, mammal curator at Woodland Park Zoo. “The keepers who provided excellent day-to-day care fondly remember Adia as being energetic, playful and always excited to see her keepers every morning. Breakfast was her favorite time of the day. She was queen of the felines building at the zoo.”
Woodland Park Zoo partners with and supports the Ruaha Carnivore Project, which is protecting as much as 10% of the remaining population of wild lions in their landscape. To help support the project, adopt a lion through the zoo’s ZooParent Adoption Program: www.zoo.org/zooparent.
