Adelaide Zoo has euthanised an African lion and his mate following a medical episode

Two lions have been euthanised by Adelaide Zoo after one suffered a medical episode and keepers determined the other couldn’t live without him.

Adelaide Zoo has announced the death of its African lion pair – male Mujambi, who was 19, and female Amani, 23. Picture: Adrian Mann/Zoos SA

Adelaide Zoo has announced its pair of African lions have both been euthanised after 16 years together as a bonded pair.

According to a statement released by the zoo on Thursday, 19-year-old male lion Mujambi suffered a “medical episode” on the weekend

“Despite the best care by our veterinary team, the difficult decision was made for him to be humanely euthanised,” the post said.

His 23-year-old partner Amani was then put to sleep shortly afterwards because “the negative welfare and aspects of her life without Mujambi were determined to outweigh any positives of remaining alone”.

Male lion Mujambi had a medical episode at Adelaide Zoo. Picture: Adrian Mann

Adelaide Zoo lions Mujambi and Amani have a testing moment together. Picture: Leighton Cassebohm

In the wild, African lions only live to around 15 years of age, so at 23 and 19 both lions were considered elderly.

Adelaide Zoo director Dr Phil Ainsley admitted there were “complex ethics surrounding euthanasia”.

“Choosing when it is the right to say goodbye to an animal is a hardship but also a blessing,” he said in the zoo’s social media post.

“In the case of lions, they are a social species, and the likelihood of safely moving or integrating Amani into another pride or environment was considered too risky and stress-provoking.”

Amani and Mujambi rip open presents in 2018. Picture: Tait Schmaal

Zoo curator Dr Deb Barry said the pair were “very closely bonded”.

“Working with Amani and Mujambi has been an honour,” Dr Barry said.

“Amani was a fierce lioness. Even in her later years, she would snarl, pounce and rip at her meat.

“While she was the dominant of the two, she sought out Mujambi as if it was her role to keep a watchful eye on him. She’d regularly tell him off but in her next breath cosy up alongside him.”

Amani was the oldest lioness in Australia.

Mujambi was described as “extremely handsome” by the zoo and was used in marketing campaigns for both Adelaide and Monarto zoos.

The zoo has encouraged the public to recommend ways the lions can be remembered.

Zoos SA chief executive Elain Bensted said the decision to euthanise was a unanimous one from Adelaide Zoo’s animal care team after considering the pair’s health and age.

“They were a bonded pair, they were both aged, they were both under medical treatment for quite some time and we didn’t want what might have been Amani’s last months to have been pining for the male she had been partnered with for so long,” Ms Bensted said.

“So, it was a decision made with the welfare of the animals and now we wrap arms around our staff and volunteers.”

Vets will carry out an autopsy in the next 24 hours to determine what led to Mujambi’s medical episode.

Originally published as Adelaide Zoo has euthanised an African lion and his mate following a medical episode