Overview

• Tierpark Hagenbeck said on Instagram that veterinarians ended the lion’s suffering on Thursday for welfare reasons.
• Tembesi had eaten very little in recent weeks and was no longer able to stand or walk, according to the zoo.
• Zoo veterinarians closely monitored her condition before deciding euthanasia was the most humane option.
• At 22, she exceeded the typical lifespan of a female lion in the wild, which is about 15 to 16 years, the zoo’s Dr. Adriane Prahl noted.
• She was born on August 15, 2003, at Givskud Zoo in Denmark, moved to Hamburg in April 2005, and gave birth to five cubs in August 2006.