Jacksonville Zoo announces death of lion

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A northeastern Florida zoo announced the death of one of its longtime African lions on Tuesday, officials said.

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In a post on its Facebook page, the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens announced that Catali, a 17-year-old male, was “humanely euthanized” due to senior-related issues.

Zoo officials said the lion, who was born in 2005 and sired three cubs in 2014, had advanced kidney and liver disease.

Officials said that for the last few months of his life, Catali allowed keepers and veterinarian staffers to administer fluids several times to assist him with his conditions.

“He was known to be charismatic and cautious, taking a while to warm up to new things or people,” zoo officials said on Facebook. “He would often be the one to get all of the other lions roaring throughout the day.

“Catali will be missed deeply by all those who worked with him and had the pleasure of meeting him throughout the years.”