Fota Wildlife Park Bids Farewell to Lion Cubs and Irish-Born Rhino

Fota Wildlife Park in County Cork, Ireland, is preparing to transfer three Asiatic lion cubs and the only Indian rhino ever born in Ireland to other European zoos as part of vital conservation efforts. Visitors have a limited time to view the animals before their departure in the coming weeks.

Asiatic Lion Cubs Head to the UK

The three male Asiatic lion cubs – Theo, Rakesh, and Thor – born in June 2024 to mother Arya and father Yali, will be relocated to Wingham Wildlife Park in Canterbury, UK. The cubs were named following a public naming competition. Asiatic lions are classified as Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), with an estimated 500–600 individuals remaining in the wild in India’s Gir Forest.

Fota Wildlife Park plays a key role in the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA) Ex-situ Programme (EEP), a population management program for over 500 animal species. The transfer of the cubs is part of this program, aimed at maintaining genetically healthy populations of endangered species.

Ireland’s First Indian Rhino to Move to Edinburgh

Jai, the only Indian rhino (Rhinoceros unicornis) ever born in Ireland, will also be leaving Fota Wildlife Park. He will be transferred to Edinburgh Zoo. Born in September 2022 to Maya and Jamil after a 16-month gestation period, Jai’s birth was a significant event, as he was one of only six Indian rhino births in zoological institutions worldwide that year. The Indian rhino is listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN, with approximately 3,300 animals remaining in the wild across India and Nepal.

Conservation Through Collaboration

Fota Wildlife Park, a wildlife conservation charity, coordinates with zoos across Europe and the UK through international breeding programs. These programs are crucial for supporting long-term global wildlife conservation efforts and maintaining genetically diverse populations of endangered species.

Arya, the Asiatic lioness, previously resided at Helsinki Zoo before returning to Fota Wildlife Park. Yali, the father of the cubs, is considered genetically significant within the European Breeding Programme.