Pixaduck Staff When we meet someone who matches our energy, we should hold on to them no matter what barriers we go through. That is what we are taught as humans to do to have a perfect partner to live our life journey. This story is about someone who did the same while they lived together. But they are not humans. They are a couple of a lion and a lioness.
They fell for each other the moment they met.
Their names were Hubert and Kalisa. Kalisa comes from the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle, whereas Hubert was born at Chicago’s Lincoln Park Zoo. In 2014, following their move to the Los Angeles Zoo, they crossed paths. They both were already adult lions when they came to the zoo. Since the start of their bond, they have been inseparable from each other. They ate, walked, rested, and nuzzled together since.
They were meant for each other.
The staff at the zoo and the guests always admired them and enjoyed seeing them together. According to L.A. Zoo spokesman Beth Schaefer, visitors and staff could not deny the obvious and strong attachment between Hubert and Kalisa. These lions had appeal as a pair individually, yet they were rarely away from one another.
The couple grew sick with time.
Time passed, and they grew older. And unfortunately, they had to face difficulties more often. They are in a zoo, not in the wild; why could they not get better? In contrast to lions living in the wild, who have a life expectancy of only 12 to 16 years, captive lions frequently live to 20 to 25 years old. Several factors can explain this gap.
What difference between lions who live in the wild and captive
As an illustration, since they are kept in captivity, they are not required to be on the lookout for predators. Although humans are the main threat to lions, they must also be looking for cheetahs and hyenas since they can rob them of their food.
Additionally, lions in the wild do not have access to medical care. They will experience pain if they cut or break their paw. In contrast, lions in zoos will receive prompt medical care if injured.
Environmental concerns are another element. In the wild, lions rely exclusively on nature for their survival. However, they will only have access to water or food sources if there is a drought. However, because their living space will always be the same and zookeepers will provide them with plenty of food and water, captive lions do not have to cope with these issues.
So it is true they had all the support they needed from the L.A. Zoo, but they could not change their fate.
The zoo had to make a difficult decision!
The zoo reported that the painful choice to put two of their lions to sleep at once was made by the Los Angeles Zoo’s animal care and health department. Hubert and Kalisa, two soulmates who were 21 years old, were put to death owing to deteriorating health and illnesses brought on by aging that had reduced their quality of life. They later share the sad news on their social media platforms.
Their post got very heartfelt responses to the passing of the lion companions.
L.A. Zoo thanked the kind comments of the strangers by saying that the community’s kind words about Hubert and Kalisa that they shared with L.A. Zoo on social media had moved them. As evidenced by the outpouring of support from their guests, the couple’s love for one another helped them to develop a stronger bond with their visitors and a tremendous amount of empathy.
