Shatari the Lioness (2002-2024)
Obituary
Shatari, a 22-year-old African lioness, died in August 2024 at Tulsa Zoo after experiencing age-related decline.
Shatari, a 22-year-old African lioness, died in August 2024 at Tulsa Zoo after experiencing age-related decline. She was born in captivity at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in 2002, eventually being moved to Tulsa in 2006.
Shatari was bred as part of a program to boost populations of endangered and threatened species. Lions are considered vulnerable under the IUCN Red List and some subspecies of lions are classified as endangered by US Fish and Wildlife Service. They face numerous threats, particularly from trophy hunting and habitat loss. But lions bred in captivity in the US will never be released to the wild in their home continent of Africa. African lions bred here are merely living attractions for visitors.
World Animal Protection urges everyone who loves lions to avoid zoos and enjoy them in the wild or at an accredited sanctuary.
