Overview
- A sliding panel in a lion enclosure failed on April 17, allowing male lion Roary to enter a separate space with Asali, who was fatally injured and euthanized while the younger lionesses escaped unharmed.
- During a routine USDA inspection from June 9 to 11, the Columbus Zoo self-reported the barrier failure and received a citation with a June 20 deadline to correct the issue.
- Investigators identified a window in the HDPE sliding panels as a structural weak point and the zoo has since reinforced similar doors throughout the park with more durable materials.
- The zoo fulfilled USDA requirements on time and found no other vulnerabilities after completing a comprehensive internal review of its lion habitats.
- The park is collaborating with accredited institutions through the AZA and ZAA by distributing technical details of its door design improvements to elevate industry-wide enclosure safety standards.