FORT WAYNE, Ind. (ADAMS) – Hopefully, we see some breaks in the rainy weather this weekend as the Fort Wayne Zoo will open its doors for the season – welcoming guests as well as a new resident.
A new African lion, Kiume (Pronounced as Cue-MAY), will now call the zoo home. 13-year-old Kiume is welcomed from John Ball Zoo as a companion for Ina, the female lioness at the Fort Wayne Zoo. Both lost their longstanding mates in 2024.
“We have been working with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Species Survival Plan to find the perfect match for Ina and we are overjoyed to have Kiume here,” said Michelle Smurl, Vice President of Animal Care and Conservation Education. “Though guests are just now beginning to see glimpses of him, Ina and Kiume have been going through carefully planned and phased introductions for the past several months. Throughout this complex process, our Animal Care Team have been elated to see how well these two have bonded.”
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Zoo representatives released the following:
Ina and Kiume both lost their longstanding mates in 2024. Because these big cats are social, naturally living in groups called prides, it was important work to find a suitable match for each lion and we feel privileged to bring these two aging lions together.
“Kiume has quickly become a beloved member of our Zoo family and I know the community is going to love him as much as we do,” states Rick Schuiteman, Zoo Director. “We are currently giving Kiume time and space to explore his new habitat. In order to set these two lions up for success, it takes a lot of time and patience, and I am proud of our Animal Care Team for their continued dedication.”
As Kiume continues to acclimate to his new habitat, he may still have access to his behind-the-scenes spaces to help mitigate any stress, promote natural exploratory behaviors, and maintain a high level of animal well-being. As a result, we ask our members and guests to please be patient as he becomes comfortable with the habitat space.
Kiume becomes the Zoo’s newest ambassador representing wild African lions. Lion populations have experienced a rapid decline over the last two decades, with only about 23,000 lions remaining in the wild today. The Fort Wayne Zoo partners with Lion Guardians, a conservation organization based in Kenya, dedicated to finding and enacting long-term solutions for people and lions to coexist. To learn more about lion conservation or the zoo, CLICK HERE
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