The Austin Zoo welcomed two young kings of the jungle to their facility this week as Sango and Jelani, two Transvaal lions just arrived from Tucson’s Reid Park Zoo. Transvaal lions are a subspecies of lion from Southern Africa.
These two-and-a-half year old bonded littermates arrived in Austin on Tuesday and after spending the week adjusting to their new surroundings will be ready for visits from the public on Saturday, April 16. For more information regarding their daily public viewing schedule, visitors can check out the zoo’s website.
Zoo staff seem excited about the new acquisition, as do Facebook fans who are dropping comments like “Swoon!” and “gorgeous critters.”
“As always, the mission of Austin Zoo is to provide homes to animals that need them,” said Patti Clark, Executive Director of Austin Zoo. “We are fortunate that we had the space available to provide these lions a place to live comfortably so that renovations can take place to their former home at Reid Park Zoo. We welcome Sango and Jelani to our family, and we look forward to sharing these beautiful animals with the public as we further our mission to educate and inform.”
The two brothers were part of a litter born at the zoo in December 2013, and their parents and sister will remain at Reid Park Zoo.
Austin Zoo is a registered nonprofit with a mission to assist animals in need through rescue, rehabilitation and education.
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Featured photo courtesy of Austin Zoo
