Overview

• CT and MRI scans at the University of León Veterinary Hospital revealed that severe vitamin A deficiency had caused bone malformations compressing the lions’ cerebellum and spinal cord.
• Following a targeted vitamin A supplementation protocol, both cubs have shown a marked decrease in ataxia and tremors, significantly improving their mobility as of late July 2025.
• Simba and Scar, born outside their enclosure in spring 2024, went unmonitored for three months before veterinarians first noticed their hind-quarter limp earlier this year.
• The treatment represents one of the few documented cases of vitamin A deficiency–induced neurological compression in large felines and offers a template for similar interventions in other zoological settings.
• A two-decade partnership between the University of León and Cabárceno Park, established under Spain’s Wildlife Conservation Law, provided the technical capacity and framework for advanced diagnostics and care.