<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?> <docID>330688</docID> <postdate>2024-10-10 18:53:17</postdate> <headline>Heatbroken lioness euthanised after partner’s death</headline> <body><p><img class=" wp-image-330689" src="https://citynews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Screenshot-2024-10-10-at-6.46.54 PM.jpg" alt="" width="901" height="602" /></p> <caption>Amani and Mujambi were closely bonded, spending much of their time together. (Photo: Adelaide Zoo/@zoossa)</caption> <p><span class="kicker-line">By <strong>Aaron Bunch</strong></span></p> <p><strong>An ageing lioness has been put down at Adelaide Zoo amid fears she would be too heartbroken to join another pride following the death of her partner.</strong></p> <p>Amani, the oldest lioness in Australia at 23, was euthanised on Thursday, the zoo said on social media.</p> <p>It followed the death of her partner, Mujambi, who had suffered a medical episode at the weekend.</p> <p>"Despite the best care by our veterinary team, the difficult decision was made for him to be humanely euthanised," the zoo said in a Facebook post.</p> <p>"Amani was then put to sleep shortly after as the negative welfare and aspects of her life without Mujambi were determined to outweigh any positives of remaining alone."</p> <p>The zoo's director, Phil Ainsley, said lions were a social species and Amani's specific behaviour had been considered before making the difficult decision.</p> <p>"The likelihood of safely moving or integrating Amani into another pride or environment was considered too risky and stress-provoking," he said.</p> <p>Amani and Mujambi, who was 19 with a beautiful but thinning black mane due to his age, were closely bonded.</p> <p>"She swiped at him, growled and bossed him around, but she also wanted to be no further away from him than his shadow," zoo curator Deb Barry said.</p> <p>Ms Barry said Amani was a fierce lioness and she "would snarl, pounce and rip at her meat".</p> <p>"While she was the dominant of the two, she sought out Mujambi as if it was her role to keep a watchful eye on him," she said.</p> <p>"She'd regularly tell him off but in her next breath cosy up alongside him."</p> <p>African Lions live to about 15 years of age in the wild but under human care in a zoo or safari park, can live into their twenties.</p> <p>"Our keepers are extremely sad," Ms Barry said.</p> <p>"They've spent years caring for Amani and Mujambi."</p> <p> </p> <p> </p> </body>