A mighty animal which has been seen by millions of visitors at Chester Zoo has sadly died.
Kumari the female Asiatic lion passed away on Thursday, October 17, aged 17. She had arrived at the zoo in 2011 with sister Kiburi and enjoyed two habitats there, including the larger, 4,790 sq m enclosure from 2019 which recreates the scrubland savannahs of India’s Gir Forest region.
Mike Jordan, animal and plant director at Chester Zoo, paid tribute to Kumari.
He said: “We are deeply saddened to confirm that female Asiatic lion, Kumari, sadly passed away on Thursday, October 17, at the grand old age of 17.
“Kumari had been receiving daily veterinary care and was being closely monitored by our carnivore and vet teams for some age-related issues. Despite their very best efforts to help her recover and pull her through, Kumari’s health continued to decline.
"After careful consideration and with her well-being as our top priority, we made the difficult decision to let her go peacefully.
“Kumari lived a long and healthy life – far exceeding the typical lifespan of Asiatic lions in the wild, which is around 12 years. This is a true testament to the exceptional levels of care shown by our carnivore and vet teams since she arrived at Chester Zoo, alongside her sister Kiburi in 2011.
"This same world-class care will, of course, continue to be provided to both lioness Kiburi and male lion Iblis, who are both also now 17 years old.
“Asiatic lions are highly endangered, with fewer than 650 individuals left in the wild.
Picture by Chester Standard Camera Club member Welshie Dale of Kumari with Iblis at Chester Zoo.
"The loss of Kumari is therefore a poignant reminder of the fragile state of this majestic species, and the vital role that zoos and conservation breeding programmes play in preventing its extinction. Our work is more important than ever.”
The last Asiatic lions populations survive in Gujarat, India, in the Gir Forest region, but this is just 0.1 per cent of their former territories.
The species once roamed across Northern Africa, Greece, Turkey and Asia but are now confined to one small region of India, where natural disaster or an outbreak of disease could wipe out the entire species.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here