A sad loss for the Magnetic Hill Zoo family in Moncton, New Brunswick.

Azizi, their male African lion, has died.

He arrived at the zoo in 2009 with Amara, the zoo’s female lion and won over the hearts of the general public.

Azizi was almost 18 years old.

The City of Moncton says he was on a specialized geriatric care and welfare plan for several years, supported by the Zoo’s veterinary and animal care teams, but his health declined significantly in recent days.  After a thorough veterinary assessment, the decision was made to euthanize him to prevent unnecessary suffering.

“We are thankful for the many years we had with Azizi. It was a privilege to get to work with him and know him,” says Tiffany Bateman, the Zoo’s curator of zoological operations. “We would like to extend our deepest gratitude to everyone who loved and cared for him throughout his life. He was an extraordinary member of our Zoo animal family, and he will be greatly missed by our staff and visitors alike.”

Although Azizi’s cause of death is known, a full necropsy will be performed as per Zoo protocols

At this point, it’s not known how Azizi’s death will impact Amara, but Zoo staff will be monitoring her behaviour closely.