African Lion Kamau Euthanized After Suffering Gastrointestinal Problems in Sacramento Zoo

Due to worsening gastrointestinal issues, Sacramento Zoo decided that it is time for their African lion resident, Kamau, to be euthanized.

Goodbye, African Lion Kamau

The 16-year-old male African lion named Kamau at the Sacramento Zoo was put to death on Saturday after medical interventions failed to reverse his deteriorating condition.

Since 2008, Kamau has resided in the Sacramento Zoo. He was raised at the San Diego Wild Animal Park and brought to Sacramento so that he might mate with Cleo, the lioness in the zoo.

The zoo said on Friday that Kamau's condition has been getting worse and that he was going to be kept comfortable away from the display.

The zoo later said on Saturday that Kamau had been dealing with stomach issues that were getting worse while his appetite was declining. The zoo chose to humanely euthanize Kamau after medical measures were ineffective.

The Sacramento Zoo's staff did everything they could to make Kamau comfortable and provide him with the best quality of life during his senior years, according to a statement published on the zoo's social media pages.

The nearly 18-year-old lioness at the zoo, Cleo, was stated to be doing well and being closely watched to protect her safety.

Saphira, Inara, and Demarcus were a trio of cubs born to Kamua and Cleo in October 2014. Except for Kamau and Cleo, all the cubs were transferred to different zoos in the state of Arkansas and New Jersey.

According to Sacramento Zoo, Kamau was loved by many throughout the years, and the zoo is grateful for their love and support, CBS News reports.

Lions have a life expectancy of about 15 years in the wild, but up to 30 years in captivity. Lions become sexually mature at the age of two and mate throughout the year, according to Lion Alert.

Sacramento Zoo Care

After months of remodeling, the zoo's resident lion couple, Cleo and Kamau, were back on display with twice the living area in 2019 when the new lion habitat was opened.

Over 90 years have passed since African lions first appeared in Sacramento's zoo. Since the exhibit's construction by the City of Sacramento in 1961, the standards for animal care and welfare have changed, therefore an exhibit that was state-of-the-art at the time needed to be drastically updated.

The Sacramento Zoo received significant charitable support from River City Glass, which collaborated with the zoo's facilities division to build a glass barrier at the entrance to the exhibit. The cats can move between the two areas thanks to a bridging area that also serves as a lions' refuge. In addition to offering shade in the summer, the shelter has heat lights during the winter.

For animal care professionals to teach operant conditioning and husbandry methods in front of zoo visitors, training panels were erected at the habitat's opposite ends. The glass frames might be used in a different setting as the zoo anticipates a future move, according to Sacramento Zoo records.