Inseparable lion couple who "were hardly ever apart from one another" put to sleep together
We might think as humans, we're the only ones who can really feel emotions. That we're the only ones who can experience what being in love or the pain of losing someone feels like. But we're wrong. Ever wondered why the eyes of our dogs tear up when we leave them alone for some time? It's probably because they missed us.
But dogs are not the only ones who can feel. According to National Geographic, animals and humans share the ability to feel empathy. There have been incidents where they've shown this emotion to each other or other beings. In one such incident, a blind old woman had lost her way in the forest and the elephants guided her while protecting her in a cage-like structure made with branches to protect her from hyenas. Well, here's one more story of a lion and a lioness who couldn't stay without each other.
African lion companions Hubert and Kalisa passed away together after living a long and happy life together. The L.A. Zoo officials confirmed that both the lions, who were 21 years old, have been going through some health issues due to age. Their quality of life at the zoo was being affected and so it was decided to humanely euthanize them together since they had never stayed apart.
CEO & Zoo Director Denise Verret wrote on the zoo's page, “These affectionate companions came to the L.A. Zoo six years ago, and they quickly charmed themselves into our hearts as we observed their magnificent beauty and unique bond. It was often said, you don’t see Kalisa without Hubert being close by. So, while it is truly heart-wrenching that we had to say goodbye to this iconic pair, we can take comfort in knowing they left together. These lions will remain a positive part of our history, and they will be greatly missed.”
According to animal programs director, Beth Schaefer, Hubert and Kalisa shared something really special. Over the past six years, their strange but strong bond was visible even to the visitors and staff of the zoo. She said, “These lions were charismatic both together as partners and separately, but they were hardly ever apart from one another." She continued, “Their undivided attention was always on the other as they rested together, cuddled and nuzzled often.”
Though Hubert and Kalisa didn't have any cubs together, Hubert fathered 10 cubs in his lifetime. Alisa Behar, the zoo's curator of mammals expressed her grief and said, “This is a very hard loss for our zoo community." One can imagine the love between the two lions and the connection that they had with the ones around them. She added further, “In the early mornings, staff would routinely hear Hubert’s waking roars, and I will personally miss hearing them on my walks around the grounds. You cannot think of Hubert without thinking of his companion, Kalisa; they’ve been an inseparable couple for years," reported The Los Angeles Times.
While Hubert was born on February 7, 1999, at Chicago’s Lincoln Park Zoo, Kalisa was born on December 26, 1998, at the Oklahoma City Zoo. Before they arrived at the L.A. Zoo back in 2014 when they first bonded, they were a part of Seattle’s Woodland Park Zoo.
According to the zoo officials, the loving and inseparable pair lived longer than average African lions. Those in the wild live up to their early teens and the others in captivity live up to 17 years.
We'd like to believe that their love and appreciation for each other helped these lions live longer and spend more time with each other. African lions are considered to be vulnerable because of the illegal trade of their body parts for traditional medicines and other purposes. Now, less than 25,000 lions are believed to be living in Africa.