Dublin Zoo thrills visitors by unveiling new arrival to lion family
Dublin Zoo has a new member!
The beloved zoo has announced the introduction of their latest arrival – a five-year-old male Asian lion, Kushanu, who has been transferred from Edinburgh Zoo.
Kushanu has joined nine-year-old female, Kamala, at the Asian lion habitat at Dublin Zoo, which is located beside Sea Lion Cove and close to the red panda habitat.
Since his arrival in March, Kushanu has been settling into his new habitat and is already forming a strong bond with Kamala. The team at Dublin Zoo has expressed hopes that the pair will breed and produce healthy cubs.
Dublin Zoo is part of the European Endangered Species Programme for the Asian lion, which helps to manage their population and breeding. The Asian lion is classed as Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, with estimations that there are only approximately 500-600 individuals left in the wild.
Currently, Asian lions only live in one place in the wild, the Gir National Park and Sanctuary in India. Because of this, Asian lions are vulnerable to unexpected events, such as natural disasters or diseases. They can also come into conflict with farmers if they approach their land.
Speaking about the latest addition to the Dublin Zoo family, the zoo’s Team Leader, Ciaran McMahon, exclaimed: “We are excited to welcome Kushanu, our new Asian lion, who is settling in well in his new habitat. He is building a close bond with female Kamala, which has been thrilling for the team.”
He added: “We hope that Kamala and Kushanu will bring healthy cubs to contribute to the survival of this Endangered species. We look forward to hearing Kushanu’s impressive roars, and visitors can be excited to see Kushanu’s distinctive mane as he explores his new habitat.”
Dublin Zoo remains open seven days a week from 9.30am to 7.00pm. For further information and to organise a visit, you can find their website here.
