Knoxville, TN (WOKI) Zahra is the newest lion to call Zoo Knoxville home.
Zahra came from Buffalo Zoo last month and now that her thirty-day quarantine period has finished, she is in her new home. She was brought to Knoxville specifically for breeding purposes. Her partner at Zoo Knoxville is the male lion Maji, and staff say they have seen great signs between them.
This would be the first time that either Zahra or Maji have become parents.
The pairing is part of a recommendation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ (AZA) Species Survival Plan (SSP).
According to Zoo Knoxville, African lions are currently listed as “vulnerable” in the wild, with populations declining, and it is estimated that there are under 25,000 of them remaining.
Guests can visit Zahra and Maji at the Valley of the Kings on the west side of the zoo and learn more about Zoo Knoxville’s conservation efforts at zooknoxville.org.
