New male lion welcomed to Honolulu Zoo

Enzi will be required to complete a 120-day quarantine period before the public will be able to view him in his exhibit in late September.

Enzi weighs around 440 pounds and will be living in the lion habitat where Moxy, the zoo’s female lioness, resides.

Enzi and Moxy are not a planned breeding pair, as Moxy is past her breeding age at 14 years old.

“With the continued assistance of the Honolulu Police Department’s solo bike escort team, we are happy to announce the safe arrival of Enzi, our new male lion,” said Honolulu Zoo Director Linda Santos. “We are very fortunate that the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) was able to identify a male lion for the Honolulu Zoo and we are all very excited to welcome him to his new home in the African Savanna.”

Lions are the second-largest cat in the world, after tigers. Native to Africa and India, lions have a muscular, broad-chested body with a hairy tuft at the end of its tail, and males are recognized for their prominent mane.

To hunt prey, lions can run quick, short bursts at approximately 30-37 mph, with top speeds recorded as high as 46 mph. African lions are listed as vulnerable of extinction by the IUCN due to habitat loss and hunting.

See all the exhibits now open at the Honolulu Zoo here.