Zoo Boise is welcoming the arrival of a new male African lion. Four-year-old Revan joins the city-owned zoo's two female lions already at the facility. He comes to Boise from Maryland through a partnership with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
Revan arrived by FedEx plane over the weekend, with Maryland zoo keepers on hand to help him transition. The zoo has been without a male lion since January of 2017, when 14-year-old Jabari was euthanized after being diagnosed with cancer.
But don't expect to see the newcomer in an exhibit for a while. The lion will first go through a quarantine period, which is typical for new animals at the zoo. Liz Littman with Zoo Boise says they expect him to come into public view in early to mid-July, when they'll invite the public to come see him.
So will there be a new lion cub anytime soon? Not so fast. The current females, Mudiwa and Obadiah, are 16 and 17 years old and Littman says there are no plans for reproduction with Revan.
But the three lions will eventually be in the same space, after several months of getting acclimated to each other.
Find reporter Frankie Barnhill on Twitter @FABarnhill
Copyright 2018 Boise State Public Radio
