ABILENE, Texas — The Abilene Zoo announced some big (cat) news with the arrival of Kenya and Dixie, a sibling pair of African lions from ABQ BioPark Zoo in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
According to a Abilene Zoo press release, these lions have been in search of a new home for the past three years. The ABQ BioPark Zoo received a recommendation for African lions Kenya and Dixie to be transferred to another Association of Zoos and Aquariums accredited facility.
Brother and sister, Kenya and Dixie were born at San Diego Zoo Safari Park in 2013. They have lived at the ABQ BioPark since 2016. Their relocation is coordinated through AZA’s African Lion Species Survival Plan (SSP) to support the genetics, demographics and long term sustainability of lions in human care.
The news of Kenya and Dixie’s arrival comes just a few weeks after the departure of Jabulani, Saba, and Abagebe. The former trio of Abilene Zoo resident lions, returned to their home at the Fort Worth Zoo. The Abilene Zoo was selected as the temporary holding facility for Fort Worth’s pride as renovations were made to their home. Now that construction has allowed them to return home, they were safely transferred back to Fort Worth. Unlike the former pride of lions, Kenya and Dixie are not on a temporary loan, they are now Abilene Zoo residents.
“We are very excited to continue to care for and display African lions here at the Abilene Zoo.” said Supervisor of Conservation Clay Carabajal. “African lions are one of the most iconic species on the planet, however they are listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. Populations of wild lions have declined over 43% in the last 25 years due to poaching, habitat loss and depletion of the prey they hunt.”
The Abilene Zoo recently announced the future plans to create a new African lion habitat as part of the upcoming master plan. Kenya and Dixie will be included in future planning.
