Lioness Tia was found dead yesterday in Wildlands zoo in Emmen. The nearly 16-year-old animal died after a fight, likely with the new male lion Jafar.
Since last month, 12-year-old Jafar has been walking around the zoo. “The zoo’s lion troop is in the midst of introducing a new male,” Wildlands said. “Step by step, it was introduced to the lionesses. Such an introduction period can take a very long time with these predators and is certainly not without risks.”
According to Wildlands, a male lion must claim leadership. This is often accompanied by quarrels and fights. Lioness Tia was the highest ranking lioness among the lionesses, so there was regular friction between her and Jafar. “It is impossible to say why it went wrong in the night from Saturday to Sunday. Camera images show nothing of the fight. The zookeepers found the lioness dead in the outdoor area in the morning.”