Kansas City Zoo mourns loss of 20-year-old lion

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - The Kansas City Zoo is mourning the loss of a beloved lion named Mufasa.

The zoo says the 20-year-old lion died this week after being treated for age-related issues over the years. They say his quality of life recently started to diminish and, after examinations, the decision was made to humanely euthanize him.

Here is what the zoo had to say about Mufasa:

The Zoo is mourning the loss of 20-year-old lion Mufasa, who passed away this week.
Mufasa was born into a litter of four cubs at the Kansas City Zoo on September 1, 2001, to mom Jean and dad Dumisani. In adulthood, Mufasa often delighted Zoo guests as he played and napped with our other males, 16-year-olds Shakarri and Jabari. Our two females rounding out the pride are 20-year-old Nala, who was a littermate of Mufasa, and 16-year-old Zuri.
Team Savannah’s animal care specialists say Mufasa was extremely skilled in training and participating in his own health care, which included vaccines, blood samples and weight sessions. His favorite sources of positive enrichment were goat’s milk and barrels. Some of his caregivers’ favorite memories of Mufasa include the fun he experienced discovering his holiday presents during our annual Lion Christmas event.
Mufasa has been treated for age-related issues for several years, but recently his quality of life began to diminish. Following a series of examinations, the difficult decision was made to humanely euthanize.
Mufasa’s long life is a testament to the excellent care provided by our animal care and veterinary health teams. The Zoo is home to many older animal residents, like our lion pride, that have specialized needs that our experts provide.
This beloved lion was truly a member of the KCZoo family and will be greatly missed.
The Kansas City Zoo