Etosha enjoys a bone.
Arguably one of the most impressive statues found in
Elephant Odyssey’s Mammoth Plaza at the San Diego Zoo is that of the American lion. Weighing in at almost half a ton, this massive carnivore is the largest variety of lion known to man. The American lion also once had one of the largest ranges of any mammal, with individuals living from the Yukon Territory in Canada all the way down through Peru. Yet as impressive as this life-sized model is, it is almost impossible to compete with the magnificence of its Elephant Odyssey modern-day counterparts. Just across the way from the enormous American lion statue lives a beautiful pair of African
lions.
The American lion statue gets installed in Elephant Odyssey.
This new exhibit allows for unprecedented views of the always charismatic M’Bari and Etosha. Whether they are sleeping under an acacia tree, perched on top of a rocky outcropping, or resting peacefully in their glass-fronted cave, you are sure to enjoy an unforgettable view of them. The glass-fronted cave area has quickly become a favorite spot for both cats and guests alike. Not only does the cave offer air conditioning for those warm summer days, but it also comes equipped with large “hot rocks” on the floor. Much of the summer was spent lounging in the cave’s cool air-conditioned breezes, and now as it is cooling off, the hot rocks are the place to be. With the flip of a switch, the man-made rocks can warm up to a toasty 72 degrees Fahrenheit (22 degrees Celsius). The cave also offers an extremely close view of the cats, with just a piece of glass between you and these amazing carnivores. The intimate nature of this entire exhibit allows for an opportunity to connect with these animals as you have never been able to do before.
M'bari and his new Spray Zone sign.
Just about every day I hear another guest exclaim that they have never been so close to a lion before. But this close proximity to our cats has come at a price: with this exhibit the San Diego Zoo’s Spray Zone was born! It seems M’Bari has a fondness for spraying anything within his reach with urine, and with a range of nearly 10 feet (3.5 meters), guests often find themselves in the line of fire. Two signs strategically placed outside this exhibit remind our guests of this funny but messy habit of his.
If the names M’Bari and Etosha sound familiar, don’t be surprised. These two made their home at the San Diego Zoo’s Wild Animal Park for almost five years before coming to the Zoo. Both were original members of the fantastic Lion Camp exhibit and were rather popular with both keepers and guests.
At 430 pounds (195 kilograms), M’Bari is the largest cat in the Zoo’s collection. His enormous head, gigantic paws, and near-perfect mane wow the crowds on a daily basis. Etosha may not be the largest of all the cats, but she is definitely a contender for the cat with the largest heart. I have had the honor of working with many cats over the years, but I don’t think that I have known one as “lovey” and sweet as Etosha. Her “good morning” vocalizations always start my day off right. Both cats are wonderful additions to the Zoo’s already amazing animal collection, and certainly both cats have contributed to the big success of Elephant Odyssey by helping to represent their not-so-distant cousin, the American lion.
Jacob Shanks is a senior keeper at the San Diego Zoo.
Listen to M’bari and Etosha greet Jacob from their bedroom: [audio:http://www.sandiegozoo.org/animalbytes/sounds/lion_purr.mp3]
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December 18th, 2009 at 2:14 pm
….as mbari walks away from his admirers he is quietly humming “mine, you will me mine, you will be mine all mine”
it is a boy thing
December 18th, 2009 at 3:23 pm
I have been there twice and you are right … these “cats” are so awesome … and so big. I didn’t know about the spraying problem but will remember to be careful next time I am there. Since you have a male and female, do you hope to see baby lions some day???
Animal Care Staff responds: Etosha has had three pregnancies. The first resulted in stillbirth. In her second pregnancy, she gave birth to a single live cub that required medical attention. The third pregnancy again resulted in necessary medical intervention after she lost interest in caring for the cub. Although Etosha seems perfectly healthy, it has been determined not to allow her to become pregnant again. See post New Cub Joins Lion Camp Pride.
December 18th, 2009 at 3:31 pm
I feel fortunate to have seen M’Bari and Etosha in November, the cats are really impressive…Thanks San Diego Zoo for such a great exhibit.
December 18th, 2009 at 4:01 pm
I love these big cats so much and always stop by to say hello when I visit the Zoo. I was so happy when I learned they would be part of Elephant Odyssey because when they were at the Wild Animal Park they were kept off exhibit and I wasn’t able to see them. I am also quite fond of their latest offspring, Nyack. He is a joy to see and I will miss him terribly when he leaves for his new home in Hawaii. Thanks for giving these wonderful lions such a great exhibit. There’s nothing like being so close to a lion you can count his whiskers.
December 18th, 2009 at 6:03 pm
Thank you for helping us get to know M’bari and Etosha. I haven’t been to SDZ yet but I’ve been lucky to experience lions in a similar way. It is remarkable and humbling to be in such close proximity, and yes, you can count their whiskers, as Teresa said! M’bari and Etosha are gorgeous. Working with them must be very rewarding!
Is there a lion-viewing etiquette? Does it bother them to have direct eye contact or are they so accustomed to having humans eyes trained on theirs that it’s normal? Sustained eye contact with gorillas is discouraged since it goes against gorilla etiquette and I’ve often wondered if the same is true of lions and other big cats. Sometimes the lions at my zoo gaze into my eyes. It’s mesmerizing and I never know whether I should look away or if it’s okay to gaze back. I hope this doesn’t seem like a dumb question! I just want to respect the animals’ way of doing things.
December 18th, 2009 at 9:02 pm
Actually, this is what happened with Etosha’s three pregnancies
The first (In November 2005) ended with a stillborn and a live cub named “Koza” (delivered by c-section and handraised).
Her second pregnancy ended with a normal delivery but a stillborn cub
Her final and latest pregnancy. She gave birth to two stillborns and “Nyack”. SHe cared for him for a litte while… but soon became uninterested in him and he was partially handraised (He had access to the Lion Camp cubs)
Moderator’s note: I stand corrected, Calvin. Thank you. For those interested in Etosha’s history, type in her name in the blog section’s search bar. There are quite a few posts about this beautiful lion.
December 18th, 2009 at 9:59 pm
Re: #2, staff response – thanks for the information. I read the post about the “new cub joins lion camp pride”. It was very interesting and had a link to a video of the cub, Nyack. I clicked on the link but it took me to the new video of the elephants in the snow. I tried to find the video of the cub but was unable to locate it. However I found a slide show of lion pictures …. great pictures … makes me want to take off and go to the Wild Animal Park … or zoo. My favorites are the pandas with the elephants coming in a close second … but I really love all the animals. Thank you again, for the information.
Moderator’s note: I’ve corrected the link. Here it is…
December 19th, 2009 at 9:09 am
Hi I was wondering about how many jaguars are in EO? Is it just the female or did we get a new male? Thanks
Moderator’s note: Currently there is one female. You can read a post about her: Jaguar: Meet Nindiri.
December 19th, 2009 at 12:38 pm
Moderator, we would love to have an update on Nyack since he is now over a year old and was raised with access to the other cubs at WAP. Is he still there or has he moved on. It is great to know the wonderful success that his interaction with the Lion Camp pride did for him. It allowed him to be hand raised while it was necessary, but have a fairly normal life with other lions so he could have a normal future in captivity.
Moderator’s note: Nyack is still at the Wild Animal Park. He is slated to go to the Honolulu Zoo in spring 2010. I’ll see if we can get a post written about him.
December 19th, 2009 at 3:24 pm
Thank you … watched the clip …. that little guy is soooo cute!!! He sure is one lucky lion.
December 19th, 2009 at 10:11 pm
#5 Melissa
First and foremost, I wanted to say that I really appreciate your interest in good viewing etiquette. In my experience looking into the eyes of a zoo cat is not the bad etiquette that it would be with gorillas. I find our lions looking into my eyes on a regular basis. Cats, in general, are pretty easy to read, and if they were uncomfortable with your gaze I suspect you would know it right away (i.e. pinned-back ears, a crouched body position, aggressive vocalizations, etc.). In zoos we make a real effort to have animals viewable to all of our guests but also definitely take into consideration animal comfort. As a general rule, we try to build exhibits that place carnivores either on an even footing with guests or put them above us, as many animals don’t seem to like being looked down upon. Also, often structures within exhibits serve as visual barriers so that if an animal isn’t interested in being looked at they can sit behind something and have some private time. My guess is that if the lions in your local zoo aren’t interested in being admired, they have an option to be unseen. Keep enjoying those mesmerizing lion eyes!
December 20th, 2009 at 7:35 am
Moderator, #9, thanks for the update. He will love it in Honolulu where it is perpetually warm and sunny, except when they get a Tsunami. I hope I get to see him in January.
December 20th, 2009 at 9:39 am
Just before sunset, M’Bari starts roaring. His roar can be heard all over the canyon. It’s a totally different call that he makes during the day. He squeezes out his energy and soul. I hope your video team can capture it soon.
December 20th, 2009 at 9:44 am
Thank you for reassuring me about proper lion etiquette, Jacob! All of the various cat exhibits at my local zoo afford the cats the ability to be at the same level or higher than the curious humans who watch them. I am happy to report that none of the cats, lions included, have ever displayed stressed behavior when I admire them so I am even more happy that I don’t seem to have caused them any undue stress. I sometimes catch the cats watching me as I locate them in their exhibit. Once I make eye contact, it is very hard to look away but I’ve wondered more than once if they mind. You’ve set my mind at ease! Thanks again for answering my question, for helping us get to know your beautiful lion friends, and for taking such good care of them!
December 20th, 2009 at 12:02 pm
I was just wondering, if Etosha won’t become pregnant, then your pair isn’t for breeding?? I understand, they need a pair, but, I was wondering if another female could come into the picture, for breeding with M’Bari?? I hope this doesn’t seem like a dumb question!
Moderator’s note: Your question has been forwarded to Jacob.
December 21st, 2009 at 9:59 am
I remember them so well !! It’s seems like it’s been ages since we have heard anything about the lions, and the pride ! Thank you so much Jacob for enlightning us with a post about our favorite big cats !
Oh how I have missed hearing abou them. How are all the cubs doing ? I seem to remember there were quite a few. Have any of them moved to other zoos yet ? Are all the cubs still at the wild animal park ?
Is there any chance a lion cam would be in the works ? Can we get more blogs and posts on the lions, and the lion pride ? Yes ?
Moderator’s note: I’ll see if one of the Lion Camp keepers can write an update on the pride.
December 22nd, 2009 at 10:08 am
#15 Joseph
While it would be possible to breed M’Bari to another female, it is very unlikely that Etosha would accept a new female into this group. In the wild, lions do live in prides that can contain many females, but generally these females are all related, and they don’t accept outsiders very readily. So, if we brought in another female, Etosha would likely have to be removed from this group. M’Bari and Etosha are pretty fond of each other, and at this point in time maintaining this pair seems like the best situation for all involved. Thanks for the question.
December 22nd, 2009 at 4:52 pm
Thank you for this lovely update on this great couple. It is so nice to see them on exhibit again.
December 23rd, 2009 at 9:39 pm
Thank you for another cat update! What a wonderful picture of Etosha, she is so beautiful.
January 23rd, 2010 at 2:14 pm
Well, thanks for the info. I was just wondering HOW you put a 300-lb. (forgive me if I’m off) cat on birth control. thank you very much,
Jacob responds: Thanks for the question, Joseph! In the case of Etosha, a variety of health concerns associated with her pregnancies ultimately led our Zoo vet staff to decide to permanently alter her to prevent her from becoming pregnant. She was spayed in much the same way that any domestic cat would be. However, very often we choose to use temporary birth control so as to not limit our breeding possibilities in the future. Our amazing vet staff has quite a few options when it comes to temporary birth control. In my experience with cats, we usually use an injectable option that the cat receives on a regular basis as long as we want to prevent pregnancy. There are several drugs that can work to meet the same goal, and our vet staff will ultimately determine which is the best for each specific situation. We can also use birth control implants that work similarly, only instead of regular injections, an implant placed under the skin slowly administers the necessary drugs to the animal. Another option is using an edible variety of birth control in which animals ingest the drugs. I have heard of this kind being used primarily in hoofed stock. When it comes down to it, animal bodies, in particular, mammal bodies, work very similar to ours, so many of the same practices we people use for ourselves also work well in our animal friends.
January 25th, 2010 at 8:53 pm
Thank you Jacob for the Lion Zoo talk this past Sunday. My husband and I spent the past summer walking around the zoo at night and were always thrilled by M’bari’s roars around sunset. These lions have brought us so much joy.
There is something wonderful in knowing that these magnificent creatures greet you with vocalizations that convey contentment, pleasant anticipation, or a delight in your presence. One of the joys of spending a life with (domestic) cats is their purring simply upon seeing you. This is not about kitty kibble- something quite different.
February 11th, 2010 at 10:37 am
i was able to see mbari at the zoo the end of january and he is absolutely the most impressive male lion that i have ever seen. i even shot a picture of the spray zone sign. i think he displayed remarkable restraint while i was there. a large crowd of admirers lined up but he left them alone…there was no way all of them could have escaped should he have decided to make them his own with he own special scent.