We have five Asiatic lions in our collection here at Edinburgh Zoo.

Our male lion arrived with us in June 2012 from Bristol Zoo. His name is Jayendra and he was born in December 2010. Our lioness is called Roberta and she was born in April 2013. She arrived at Edinburgh Zoo from Magdeburg Zoo, Germany in October 2014.

In August 2019, Roberta and Jayendra became parents to a litter of cubs. The three cubs have been named Mitaali, Keshari and Kushanu in tribute to the Gir forest in western India where the species is found. The youngsters will stay with their parents until they are around two years old. 

Location in the zoo

Our Asiatic lions can be seen in our lion enclosure near the top of the zoo.

Breeding Programme

Our lions are part of the European Endangered Species programme (EEP).

Roberta arrived at the zoo in October 2014, but was not properly introduced to Jay until April 2015. Such introductions are always a slow process as it is important to ensure the pair familiarise themselves first and get used to each other’s presence. The two were put in the same area, but separated to begin with, allowing the pair to become accustomed to each other’s scent. Once Roberta was more settled and ready, she was introduced to Jay under the watchful eye of her keepers.

Roberta was specifically selected to be paired with resident male Jay through the EEP, which is run by a Species Coordinator and is supported by experts at other zoos across Europe. She was chosen as the best match for Jay due to her genetic characteristics, as it is extremely important to conserve the genetics of the species, for future generations, enabling the future generations to be possibly reintroduced back into the wild if the need arises.