FRESNO, Calif. (KNX) – The Fresno Chaffee Zoo is mourning the loss of one of their animals.
The zoo announced on Facebook Tuesday that its female African lion, Kiki, was euthanized after battling progressive arthritis for years.
"We are deeply saddened by the loss of our lion pride matriarch, Kiki," said Fresno Chaffee Zoo CEO, Jon Forrest Dohlin. "She was an amazing ambassador to her species. This loss reminds us about the importance of the preservation of these beautiful animals both in zoos and the wild."
Dr.Shannon Nodolf, Chief Veterinary Officer, said Kiki’s pain levels were not manageable anymore.
Kiki was the matriarch of the lion pride at the zoo. She arrived to the Fresno Zoo in 2015 with her daughter, Zamaya.
She was 17 years old.
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