The lion will sleep tonight…at Rolling Hills Zoo. A new lion pride arrived Wednesday morning.

The pride includes 9-year-old male Sahar and 5-year-old female littermates Kamali and Zalika. The trio of African lions moved to their new home in Salina from the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago.

Rolling Hills Zoo General Curator Brenda Gunder told KSAL News the arrival was much anticipated.

 

The pride was placed in the Lion Exhibit at  Rolling Hills Wednesday morning.  They are not immediately available for the public to see. Gunder says they are getting acclimated with their new home and new keepers.

 

Gunder says they are fortunate to get three animals which are already a cohesive unit. If things go smoothly they could be on public display in as soon as 10 days.

 

As littermates, Kamali and Zalika were born on September 7, 2013 at the Oregon Zoo.  They arrived at Lincoln Park Zoo in Chigaco in April 2015, at which time they were also introduced to Sahar. They were moved in preparation for Lincoln Park Zoo’s building renovation of their iconic Kovler Lion House which originally opened in 1912, and is a historical landmark and the last project of The Pride of Chicago at Lincoln Park Zoo.

Rolling Hills Zoo has been without any African lions in its family since back in March, when their lone remaining lion Motomba had to be humanely euthanized due to complications from a long term illness.

https://www.facebook.com/KSAL1150/videos/354205281952568/