Reilly, North Carolina Zoo's 'Fiercely Devoted' Lion, Dies At 23

ASHEBORO, NC — Reilly, a 23-year-old African lion and favorite at the North Carolina Zoo, died this week after a years-long battle with renal disease, zoo officials announced Wednesday.

Reilly was the oldest male lion in an Association of Zoos and Aquariums-accredited institution, zoo officials said.

"He was so tolerant of his rambunctious offspring and was fiercely devoted to his lady lion, Mekita," said Zookeeper Beth Malott, who worked with Reilly for eight years. "Reilly was a one-of-a-kind soul, and his morning roars will be greatly missed."

Reilly was born at Lincoln Park Zoo on Feb. 7, 1999, and came to the North Carolina Zoo on March 23, 2001. He fathered nine offspring — three males and six females.

In the wild, a lion's average lifespan in the wild is approximately 10-15 years, zoo officials said. Male lions under human care have a median life expectancy of 17 years.

African lions are listed as a "vulnerable" species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Populations are continuing to decrease due to habitat loss and poaching, according to the zoo. An estimated 23,000 to 39,000 lions remain in the wild, officials said.

Reilly's disease, coupled with his age and weakened physical state, prompted the zoo's animal care team and veterinarians to make "the heart-wrenching, quality-of-life decision" to euthanize him.

"As the oldest male in AZA zoos, he far exceeded the average lifespan for lions under human care," Animal Management Supervisor Jodi Wiley, who worked with Reilly for seven years, said in a news release. "This speaks volumes of the amazing care the keepers have given him over the years."

Following Reilly's death, Mekita is the only remaining lion at the North Carolina Zoo.