On Wednesday, the Denver Zoo euthanized Tobias, the head of its African lion family pride. The 7-year-old lion was suffering from a string of medical issues ranging from an inflammatory bowel disease to chronic kidney disease.
"Our Veterinary Medicine team found that in addition to the progression of his chronic diseases, he developed a severe infection that spread to his lung and bones, all of which made his prognosis for recovery and return to good quality of life poor," the Denver Zoo wrote in a statement. "Tobias passed peacefully, surrounded by those who loved and cared for him. Our Veterinary Medicine team will conduct a postmortem exam to better understand the full breadth of his condition."
The average African lion lives 15 years in the wild and 30 years under human care, according to the Denver Zoo.
Tobias, better known as Toby by zoo staff, was born at the Buffalo Zoo and moved to Predator Ridge at the Denver Zoo in 2018.
He's remembered as a playful, fun lion whose personality drew national attention to the zoo and the vulnerability of his species.
While African lions are not endangered, their futures are uncertain because of their ever-decreasing habitat.
Tobias is the father of a male cub named Tatu, born in 2019, and Oskar and Araali, born in 2020.
"Our Animal Care teams shared that they could not have asked for a better lion dad than Toby," the Zoo wrote. "He was an incredible father who enjoyed playing, snuggling and teaching his offspring everything they needed to know about how to be a lion. Tatu and Oskar moved to other (Association of Zoos and Aquariums)-accredited zoos earlier this year to start their own families, but Toby's three-year-old daughter, Araali, still calls Denver Zoo home."
The Zoo's veterinary staff is closely monitoring its four other African lions, Araali, Neliah, Kamara, and Sabi, to ensure they're healthy.
"Toby's impact at Denver Zoo was immeasurable and Predator Ridge will not be the same without his majestic, watchful gaze over his kingdom," the zoo wrote. "Toby will be deeply missed by all those who knew and loved him, including his devoted fans from Buffalo who regularly checked in on their favorite lion."
