Skip to content

Condition: Post with Page_List

Listen
Search
Please enter at least 3 characters.

Latest Stories

6-year-old African lion, Kit, dies at Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium

African lion Kit
African lion Kit
Photo courtesy of Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium

It's been a hard week for the Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium.

Just days after their male red panda Kovu died, the Zoo has announced death of one of their lions, Kit.


The 6-year-old male was an African lion.

The Zoo says he showed signs of illness on Friday and was taken to the veterinary hospital in the morning.

An X-ray showed blockage in his digestive system. Emergency surgery was performed but he did not survive the procedure.

While the deaths of the animals came within close proximity to each other, they are not related.

"The loss of an animal is always heartbreaking, and the loss of two beloved animals so quickly has been hard on everyone. We truly appreciate the outpouring of community support," said Dr. Jeremy Goodman, President & CEO of the Pittsburgh Zoo.

Kit came to the zoo with two female lions, Abana and Scarlett in 2019.

Kit and Abana had a litter of three cubs in 2020, they were relocated to the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo last summer.

There are less than 25,000 lions remaining in the wild.

"Kit's legacy will help sustain the future of this vulnerable species," the Zoo said in a statement

Fans of Kit can share memories of him and photos on the Zoo's social media pages.