Panthera leo

At the Detroit Zoo

Sisters Asha and Amirah, born in 2016 at another zoo, joined the pride in May 2019. Simba, a male once owned by the royal family of Qatar, found his new palace at the Detroit Zoo in October 2012. Female Erin was rescued from a junkyard in Kansas in 2009. The lions can be seen year-round in their 9,600-square-foot African Grasslands habitat, which features a 17-foot-tall acrylic wall for a closer view of the big cats. Warming rocks built near the front of the habitat provide the lions a toasty perch for people-watching in cooler weather.

Description

African lions are tan with white spots on their muzzles and above their eyes. Males have large brown or black manes that frames their faces. Both males and females have tufts of dark brown or black hair at the end of their tails. Large teeth and claws help lions catch food and fight off intruders.