Asiatic lions

Bristol Zoo Gardens is home for two Asiatic lions as part of the European conservation breeding programme, which is co-ordinated by London Zoo.

Asiatic Lions are critically endangered in the wild with only about 300 remaining in the Gir Forest Sanctuary in northern India. They were once widespread throughout northern India and Pakistan, but hunting and habitat destruction have drastically reduced their numbers.

Moti, the female, was born in captivity in 1994, in Helsinki Zoo and Kamal, our male, came to us in February 2008 from Twycross Zoo.

Moti's previous partner was called Chandra who, after being diagnosed with having low sperm count, was moved to the Cotswold Wildlife Park at the end of February to join a female lion whose mate died in November 2007.