Woodland Park Zoo’s only male lion, Xerxes, had to be euthanized due to kidney failure, the zoo announced Thursday.
Xerxes’ activity and appetite levels had been low recently, and the zoo’s animal health team tested samples of his blood, urine, and feces.
“While we were waiting for test results, signs of kidney disease in our geriatric lion were becoming more apparent,” said Dr. Rob Browning, associate veterinarian at Woodland Park Zoo. “His appetite had improved, and he was brighter. However, during another exam yesterday to administer more fluids and medications, his kidney values had worsened suggesting end-stage kidney failure, and we made the humane decision to euthanize him.”
Xerxes arrived at Woodland Park Zoo eight years ago under a breeding recommendation by the African Lion Species Survival Plan, a breeding program across zoos meant to help ensure a healthy, self-sustaining population of lions. He became a father to three cubs in 2014 that have since moved to another zoo.
“The death of Xerxes has hit our zoo family very hard,” said Martin Ramirez, mammal curator at Woodland Park Zoo. “He had a strikingly beautiful mane that made you look twice, and he truly was a regal king of our African Savanna. Most of all, he was an excellent father to his cubs, playing with and patiently tolerating the cubs’ rambunctious antics.”
Xerxes was 14 years old, which the zoo says is within the range of median life expectancy for male lions in zoos.
In 2019, two juvenile lionesses were introduced to Woodland Park Zoo and successfully socialized with Xerxes.
As the lioness sisters matured, however, the dynamic deteriorated and Xerxes had to be moved to an outside yard away from the public.
Visitors can still see the two lioness sisters, Kamaria and Ilanga, at Woodland Park Zoo’s African Savanna.
As a standard procedure, Woodland Park Zoo’s animal health team will conduct a postmortem exam on Xerxes to diagnose factors that may have contributed to his decline. Those results are shared nationally among scientists to help advance the understanding of medical issues in African lions.
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