It's a sad day for lovers of the NEW Zoo and its male African lion Shambe.
Shambe was humanely euthanized Friday after a short but fast-acting illness, the New Zoo posted on its website.
Shambe's health had been closely monitored by zookeeping and veterinary staff because he was an older lion, the zoo said.
He had been under treatment for what seemed to be an eye infection, but two weeks ago zoo staff did a full physical exam and took blood samples, finding no definitive cause for his sickness, according to the NEW Zoo.
Over the past few days, his "health rapidly declined," the NEW Zoo's website explained.
Preliminary results show Shambe had a rapidly-spreading cancer. Zoo staff expect to receive full test results from the necropsy in the next four to five weeks, they said.
Shambe had been at the NEW Zoo since 2007 as a member of the African Lion Species Survival Program. He fathered five cubs in two litters, all of which are living at other zoos in the U.S.
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