A 17-year-old lion at Tucson’s Reid Park Zoo was euthanized this week, officials said Friday.
Kaya, an African lion, was recently diagnosed with a degenerative spinal disease. It impacted her ability to move her legs, the zoo said Friday in a news release.
As the condition progressed, it became more difficult for the lion to move. The decision to euthanize the lion was made after a significant decline in its health this week, the release said.
Kaya, an African lion that had been at Tucson’s Reid Park Zoo since 2009, was euthanized last week after a degenerative spinal disease made movement difficult, officials said.
Kaya had been at the zoo since 2009, arriving in Tucson when she was 16 months old.
“During her years at the zoo, Kaya was known as a ferocious and loyal lion, who loved playing with her daughter Nayo, sunbathing for hours, and caroling with the other lions in the zoo’s pride,†the release said. “She was deeply adored by her care team and everyone who visited her at the zoo.â€
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Tony and Nayo, the zoo’s remaining lions, will receive extra attention from their care team in the coming days to ensure their well-being during this transitional period, the release said.
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