The African Lions got their paws stuck into a purr-fect celebration for World Lion Day.

To mark the day, the animal care team and volunteer Docents surprised the pride with three ‘prey’ enrichment activities, perfect for pouncing on!

Hidden inside the cardboard creations were meaty treats waiting to be discovered.

Mane man, Jelani, was first to choose his 'prey', wasting no time in taking it into his cave to devour. Before long, he returned for seconds, uncovering a second tasty surprise inside. 

Meanwhile, lionesses Uzuri and Makeba teamed up to tackle theirs, sharing the delights between themselves.

In the wild, lionesses do most of the hunting, using their speed and agility to help them chase down their pray, whilst the male lion stays back to protect the pride and keep an eye out for trouble.

The animal care team carefully designs enrichment activities to keep animals physically active and mentally stimulated based on behaviours they would use in the wild.

For the lions the cardboard ‘prey’ challenges their problem-solving skills and encourages their natural hunting instincts.

Our lions play an important role as ambassadors for their cousins in the wild.

While Makeba, Uzuri and Jelani have a safe habitat with plenty of food and enrichment, World Lion Day is a good reminder that life in the wild is a lot tougher.  

Sitting at the top of the food chain, the mighty African Lion has no natural predators in the animal kingdom, yet populations are steadily declining.

The single biggest threat to these majestic big cats is human impact through habitat destruction, human wildlife conflict and illegal poaching.

Lion-lovers can help populations in the wild by avoiding unethical international tourism operators that offer photo or petting opportunities with lions and cubs.

You can see the lion pride every day from 9am-5pm. Plus, a brand-new bookable Lion Experience offers guests the chance the get closer to the iconic big cats.

Further information can be found on the Animal Experiences page. 

FAST FACTS

  • African Lions are listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
  • They are considered the laziest of the big cats and can sleep for up to 16-20 hours per day.
  • A male lion's loud roar, usually heard at dawn and dusk, can be heard up to 8km away.
  • Lions are carnivores. They hunt in packs for large prey like zebra, wildebeest and buffalo. Individuals also forage for small rodents, hares and reptiles.