Concord: Check Out the New Lions at the Oakland Zoo

Oakland, CA - Three male Southeast African lions are now on display at the Oakland Zoo's Simba Pori exhibit.

The 18-month-old brothers, named Tandie, Mandla and Gandia, were transferred here from the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle. The three lions were successfully crated at Woodland Park, transported to Oakland Zoo, quarantined, then re-crated and transferred to the Simba Pori exhibit using only voluntary, positive reinforcement training – no anesthesia, tranquilizers, or force was used at any time in the 12 week process.

The brothers make up a ‘coalition’, an all-male social group.

“Lion coalitions are often seen in the wild, but rarely in zoos so most people find this normal aspect of lion sociality peculiar! We are excited for guests to see the three brothers lounging and interacting with each other, and to learn about the threats facing African lions. We are one of a few zoos chosen to work with Southeast African lions, and though there are no future plans for females or a breeding program, we have a very important story to tell!,” Darren Minier, Zoological Manager at Oakland Zoo.

Southeast African lions are one of eight species of lion. It’s estimated that only 30,000 to 35,000 lions remain in the wild – a decrease of 30 percent in the past twenty years. Threats include hunting, human-wildlife conflict, human encroachment resulting in habitat loss, and prey-base depletion.

If you're worried about Leonard, the Oakland Zoo’s 16 years old lion, there are no plans to integrate him into the coalition, which are known to fight fiercely with male lions unknown to them.

Give credit to the employees at the local Merrill Lynch Wealth Management offices in Oakland and Walnut Creek. When they heard about the zoo’s efforts to bring the lions here, they raised $7,500 through bake sales and other efforts. Their total was matched by Bank of America to cover flight costs for the lions.

World Lion Day is August 6 with special events planned all day at the zoo--everything from face painting for kids to a lecture by the resident lion keeper.

The Oakland Zoo is home to more than 660 native and exotic animals. It's located in the Oakland Hills, in 500-acre Knowland Park The address is 9777 Golf Links Road, off Highway 580.

--Image via Oakland Zoo