Trunkline Magazine (Louisville Zoo) June 2018 | Page 5

Kianga
Masai Giraffe
Age: 18 Months
Arrived: March 16, 2018
On exhibit: Now in
Rotation
"Shy and Sweet"
Siyanda
Africa n Lion
Age: 3 Years old
Arrived: May 2, 2018
On exhibit: mid-June
"A Big
Blonde Beauty"
Majestic lion Siyanda came to the
Louisville Zoo on May 2, 2018. He is
just over 3 years old and comes to
us from the Fort Worth Zoo where
he was born. His name is African in
origin and means “we are increas-
ing.” Siyanda appears to be a “very
relaxed cat” according to Assistant
Curator Mike Jones, who says he is
settling in to his new environment
“as if he has always been there.”
Siyanda is a very light-colored lion
with a not yet fully-developed
mane. He already weighs 404
pounds and eats about 10 pounds
of meat per day. His keepers believe
he could potentially reach over 450
If you’ve visited the Louisville Zoo giraffe
house lately, Kianga has probably already caught
your eye! Kianga arrived on March 16, 2018
from the Los Angeles Zoo and she’s only 18
months old. She’s easily distinguishable from
stately giraffe Malaika, the tallest giraffe in our
herd, and Baridi, our young male socialite, be-
cause she’s much smaller (though she still weighs
approximately 1,200 pounds)!
While Kianga is shy and still getting accus-
tomed to her new environment, she seems fond
of spending time with Malaika and is usually
seen by her side. Kianga also has started to
participate in more of our public giraffe feedings
that occur Wednesday through Monday at 11:30
a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Kianga eats grain and alfalfa
but her favorite treats are apples and carrots.
You can visit her in the giraffe exhibit in the
Africa Zone.
pounds. Siyanda will be an impor-
tant animal for his species because
he was born to parents that origi-
nally came from a South African
Wildlife facility. This means he is
from a rare bloodline in the United
States and is unrelated to many
other lions in managed environ-
ments. This will help to
ensure continued
genetic diversity
for lions in man-
aged environ-
ments and will
help to provide
a safeguard
against the
extinction of
the species.
Lions were
once found
across Africa
and through-
out Asia but
now live mostly
in designated
national parks
or hunting areas.
Only approximately
30,000 lions remain
in Africa and about 300 in India, ac-
cording to the Wildlife Conservation
Society. You can see Siyanda in the
Africa Zone starting in mid-June on
rotation with geriatric 21-year-old
female lion Kariba. You may see him
alone at first as he gets acclimated
to his new environment. However,
in the future we hope to bring in
other female lions to become part
of Siyanda’s family group per
recommendations from the
African Lion Species Survival
Plan.
Louisville Zoo Trunkline • Summer 2018 • 5