New male lion named Enzi arrived at the Honolulu Zoo

HONOLULU (KHON2) — Residents and visitors can soon admire a new addition the Honolulu Zoo as they welcome a male lion named Enzi.

Enzi is 8 years old and weighs in at about 440 pounds. He traveled all the way from Indiana.

Before guests of the Honolulu Zoo are able to see Enzi, he has to undergo a 120-day quarantine.

Once the quarantine is complete, he will be placed in the lion habitat around late Sept.

He will be joining another lion in the habitat named Moxy, which is a female lion.

These two lions are not paired together for breeding purposes as Moxy has past her breeding age.

We are very fortunate that the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) was able to identify a male lion for the Honolulu Zoo and we are all very excited to welcome him to his new home in the African Savanna.” 

Linda Santos, Honolulu Zoo Director

Lions are the second-largest cat in the world while tigers sit at number one, according to the City and County of Honolulu.

Male lions are most known for their large mane which can be seen on Enzi.

African lions are listed as vulnerable of extinction by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, one step below endangered.

The IUCN also reports a decreasing trend in population of this animal.

The threats contributing to the decrease in population include hunting and trapping and habitat loss.

As this animal is vulnerable to extinction, many conservation acts have been put in place to protect these lions.