Detroit Zoo announces Simba the lion will be leaving in the near future

By WXYZ Staff

Click here for updates on this story

    ROYAL OAK, Michigan (WXYZ) — The Detroit Zoo has announced in social media posts that the lion Simba will be leaving their facility.

The post says Simba will be relocated to the Great Plains Zoo in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. No firm date was given for the transfer, which was recommended by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.

You can read the entire Facebook post announcing the move here:

A bittersweet goodbye.

Simba, a lion who has called the Detroit Zoo home for more than a decade, will move to Great Plains Zoo in Sioux Falls, South Dakota in the near future. There, he will live in a newly constructed, state-of-the-art lion habitat. The Association of Zoos and Aquariums recommended Simba’s transfer to support the sustainability of a healthy, genetically diverse and demographically varied lion population in zoos.

During his time here at the Detroit Zoo, Simba fathered one cub, Binti, and made an incredible impact on our hearts. Though we will miss him dearly, we know he will receive the highest level of care in his new home and continue to be a fantastic ambassador for African lions in the wild. Please join us in wishing Simba the best on his next journey by visiting him at the Zoo this weekend or sharing your favorite photos of him in the comments below!

According to the zoo, once Simba is relocated, three lions will remain, including his daughter Binti, the first lion born at the Detroit Zoo since 1980, her mother Asha and aunt Amirah.

Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.