The Calgary Zoo said its African lion Aslan, 12, passed away due to health issues on Monday. .“Saying goodbye to the animals we love and care for is never easy, but it is especially heartbreaking when the loss is unexpected,” said the Calgary Zoo in a Tuesday statement. .“Lions are a social species and our Animal Care, Health, and Welfare (ACHW) Team will be carefully monitoring Baruti, Mali, and Sabi, following the sudden loss of a member of their pride.”.The Calgary Zoo said its ACHW team noted a change in Aslan’s behaviour on Monday..As with many elderly big cats, it said he had been diagnosed with kidney and cardiac disease and had been under close observation by his dedicated care team and veterinary staff since that time. .Due to the concerns about the rapid onset of his symptoms, its ACHW team conducted a veterinary exam under anesthesia to determine the cause of these changes. While the anesthesia and examination went well, initial diagnosis determined his kidney disease had worsened since his last exam and caused him to die during recovery. .The Calgary Zoo acknowledged it will not know Aslan’s cause of death until an autopsy is completed, and it will share additional information when it learns more. .Aslan and his brother Baruti came to the Calgary Zoo from the Smithsonian National Zoological Park in 2012 when they were two years old. They have lived at the zoo since then, being joined by lionesses Mali and Sabi in 2019. .The median life expectancy for lions in human care is 16.9 years. .The Calgary Zoo said its community “will be as saddened by this news as we are.” .“Aslan will be greatly missed by staff, volunteers, visitors, and our online community,” it said. .The Calgary Zoo had to say goodbye to its male Bactrian camel Ollie, 11, in the Exploration Asia zone on July 24. .READ MORE: Calgary Zoo euthanizes camel suffering from poor health.“Over the past month, Ollie lost a significant amount of weight and developed serious infections in his legs, which made it difficult to walk,” it said. .“Due to his chronic health issues and declining well-being, the compassionate decision was made to euthanize him.”
