Inseparable Aging Lion Couple Put Down Together to Avoid Having Them Live Without the Other

Animals can teach us a lot. As wild as they are, animals can be very emotional creatures, and some can inspire us with lessons of loyalty and love. One such tearjerking love story of the furry kind is that of Hubert and Kalisa, an aging lion couple who had to be put down together in 2020 just so they wouldn’t have to live apart.

A humane decision

In 2020, both lions at 21 years old were euthanized at the Los Angeles Zoo. Both were ill and were not likely to survive long. Rather than allow them the suffering of separation, the zoo authorities decided to put them down together. Instead of Romeo and Juliet, they were more the animal version of the “The Fault in Our Stars” a film about a young couple with terminal illness.

Watch a Video Here

The love story

Hubert, a male African lion was born at the Lincoln Park Zoo, on Feb. 7, 1999. Kalisa, also an African lioness was born at Woodland Park, on Dec. 26, 1998. Before their pairing, Hubert had already fathered 10 cubs.

Love at first sight

Both lions in their middle age were shifted to Seattle’s Woodland Park Zoo where they first met. It was love at first sight and the couple instantly hit it off. During their stay at the LA Zoo, they were often the star attraction with visitors marveling at the affection for each other.

The oozed a certain charisma when together

Hubert and Kalisa were the perfect couple, they doted on each other. According to Zoo keepers, both lions were inseparable. Their undivided attention was always on the other as they rested cuddled, and nuzzled together. According to the LA Zoo, one could not speak of Hubert without Kalisa and vice versa.

They were always at each other’s side

Hubert and Kalisa were never seen individually in their enclosure. They were always seen either walking or laying side by side, licking or rubbing their heads against each other. They were truly a couple in love. Unfortunately, they never gave birth to cubs of their own.

The couple lived longer than any lion in the wild

In the wild, African lions are expected to live until their mid-teens. Males usually live till the age of 12 while a lioness might live till 16. In a zoo however, lions can live up to 17 years. Hubert and Kalisa defied all odds to make it way past these statistics.  Their longevity was truly a testament to the level of expert care provided by the Zoo.

Watch a video here

African lions are highly social animals

African lions are highly social animals with a pride typically consisting of related females, their dependent offspring, and a coalition of 1-2 adult males. The females are usually related to each other, forming a cohesive social unit that collaborates in hunting and raising cubs.

Habitat and Range

African lions are found across sub-Saharan Africa, primarily in savannas and grasslands where they can find enough prey to sustain their large size. They are well-adapted to a variety of habitats but tend to avoid dense forests and deserts.

Bonding and pairing

Lion couples typically consist of one or two adult males (often brothers or pride mates) and several females. These males form coalitions to defend territory and pride members against intruders. The males in a coalition may take turns mating with the females in their pride.

Hierarchy and cooperation

Within a lion pride, there is a social hierarchy among females and coalition males. The dominant male or males in the coalition have priority access to food and mating opportunities. Despite this hierarchy, there is also cooperation among pride members in hunting and raising cubs.

Stability and reproduction

Lion couples (coalitions) are relatively stable and can last for several years, especially if they are successful in defending their territory and pride members. Females in the pride usually come into estrus (heat) simultaneously, leading to synchronized mating within the pride. This helps ensure that cubs are born around the same time, increasing their chances of survival.

Hubert and Kalisa, the odd couple

Unlike their wild counterparts, Hubert and Kalisa were a couple bonding only with each other. Perhaps living in captivity without being able to carry out their natural coalition extinct impacted their lifestyle. Nevertheless, it was adorable and sweet to see this animal couple reflect high standards of love and loyalty.

Watch a video of the couple

Lions in the wild are a dwindling population

According to research recently published by the University of Oxford’s Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU), African lions have declined by 75% in the past five decades. The International Union for Conservation (IUCN) have listed lions as a vulnerable species pegging the number of wild lions to approximately 23,000 worldwide.

Hubert and Kalisa had outlived their lifespan

In 2020, Hubert and Kalisa were both 21 years old. According to the zoo officials, the African lions hard already outlived their normal lifespan, but were in  declining health. Their quality of life had diminished due to age-related illnesses and neither of them would survive for long.

The decision to euthanize both together

Since Hubert and Kalisa had lived so long as a couple, it would have been completely wrong to allow them to pass away naturally.  That meant one would have had to live out their days suffering illness and separation.

Their final hours

On August 30^th 2020, the couple breathed their last, euthanized together. In life, Hubert was always by Kalisa’s side, so it was in death that he did not leave her. Here were two lions who lived together and perhaps dreamed of living out their love story in a forest far from prying human eyes. Hubert and Kalisa will forever remain etched in memory as a reflection of pure and boundless love. Today, they are undoubtedly enjoying their time together in that great savannah above.

Watch A Video of Hubert and Kalisa Here