20-year-old lion dies at San Francisco Zoo

SAN FRANCISCO – The San Francisco Zoo’s African lioness Sukari has died on the age of 20, zoo officers introduced Thursday on Twitter.

The feminine lion, whose identify means “sugar” in Swahili, died from splenic lymphoma after going by way of chemotherapy remedies since October, mentioned the zoo. 

The zoo mentioned that because the matriarch of their African lion satisfaction, Sukari was an “ambassador” for educating company and elevating consciousness of the significance of lion conservation since her arrival in 2009.

The zoo added that its veterinary staff labored alongside a veterinary oncologist for steerage on chemotherapy remedies, although animals typically tolerate the remedies with little unwanted effects. 

Sukari was mentioned to don’t have any different tumors seem as of December, and her spleen decreased in dimension.

The typical lifespan for an African lion within the wild is 15 to 18 years, and 25 years below captivity, in line with a zoo consultant.

San Francisco Zoo & Gardens (SF Zoo) African lion, Sukari in July of 2022, Sukari, 20, died over the Feb 18-19, 2023 weekend in San Francisco, Calif. Sukari was born on June 23, 2002 on the Cheyenne Mountain Zoological Park and was transferred to

“We’re heartbroken for the lack of our beloved Sukari” mentioned Tanya Peterson, CEO and government director of the San Francisco Zoological Society. “We’re additionally inspired that superior remedy of her most cancers gave her some consolation, as each her urge for food and conduct improved considerably over time, partially resulting from our built-in wellness method which gave Sukari the very best care attainable for an aged animal with most cancers.”

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Sukari was born in 2002 on the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo and was transferred to San Francisco as a part of the Affiliation of Zoos & Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan, which goals to maintain the genetic variety of threatened and endangered species in zoos.

Zoo officers mentioned Sukari cherished to play soccer with the indestructible boomer balls in her habitat’s moated space and to eat horse shanks and pork loin. Her caretakers described her as a protecting and loving mother to her son, Jasiri.

Along with her son, she is survived by eight grandkids and two great-grand youngsters.

“She was stoic and fierce, however trusting along with her long-time caretakers, and company might see her shut relationship with the opposite lions, as she was at all times close-by them,” mentioned Dominick Dorsa, vp of the zoo’s animal care and wellness staff. “We realized rather a lot from her and she or he might be missed.”