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African Lion Safari

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African Lion Safari - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

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Watch CBS News

Meet "Slamson II," Sacramento Zoo's new male lion

By Cecilio Padilla

February 8, 2024 / 12:27 PM PST / CBS Sacramento

SACRAMENTO – A new male African lion will soon call the Sacramento Zoo home -- and he'll have a name familiar to Sacramento Kings fans. 

The zoo announced the animal's impending arrival on Wednesday.

"The arrival of this lion not only adds to the Sacramento Zoo's rich history with these majestic animals, it underscores the evolving role of zoos in today's conservation landscape," said Sacramento Zoo Chief Executive Officer Jason Jacobs, in a statement.

Slamson, the mascot for the Sacramento Kings, helped announce the new lion's arrival at a press conference on Thursday. 

Zoo officials also announced a new partnership between the team at the Sacramento Zoo. 

Fittingly, the new lion has been named "Slamson II." 

With the zoo's relocation plans continuing to advance , Elk Grove Mayor Bobbie Singh-Allen was among the dignitaries scheduled to help introduce Slamson II.

"We are excited about this new partnership between the Sacramento Zoo and the Sacramento Kings," Singh-Allen said in a statement.

Zookeepers will be introducing Slamson II, who is three years old, to his new habitat slowly. He and the Sacramento Zoo's current resident 18-year-old female lion Cleo will be on a rotating schedule on who will be visible to the public in the habitat.

The Sacramento Zoo was previously home to Kamau , a 16-year-old male African lion. Kamau was euthanized in 2023 due to declining health.

• Sacramento Zoo

Cecilio Padilla is a writer for CBS13 News and a Sacramento-area native.

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African lion

African lions are revered the world over, but their population has shrunk in half over the past 25 years. Conflict with humans is one of the greatest threats they face.

What is the African lion?

African lions have been admired throughout history for as symbols of courage and strength. These iconic animals have powerful bodies—in the cat family, they’re second in size only to tigers—and roars that can be heard from five miles away . An adult lion’s coat is yellow-gold, and juveniles have some light spots that disappear with age. Only male lions typically boast manes, the impressive fringe of long hair that encircles their heads.

African lions once roamed most of Africa and parts of Asia and Europe. But the species has disappeared from 94 percent of its historic range and can only be found today in parts of sub-Saharan Africa. These lions mainly stick to the grasslands, scrub, or open woodlands where they can more easily hunt their prey, but they can live in most habitats aside from tropical rainforests and deserts.

Asiatic lions ( Panthera leo persica) are a subspecies of African lion, but only one very small population survives in India's Gir Forest.

Lion prides and hunting

Lions are the only cats that live in groups, which are called prides—though there is one population of solitary lions . Prides are family units that may comprise anywhere from two to 40 lions—including up to to three or four males, a dozen or so females, and their young. All of a pride's lionesses are related, and female cubs typically stay with the group as they age. Young males eventually leave and establish their own prides by taking over a group headed by another male.

Males defend the pride's territory, marking the area with urine, roaring menacingly to warn intruders, and chasing off animals that encroach on their turf.

Female lions are the pride's primary hunters and leaders . They often work together to prey upon antelopes, zebras, wildebeest, and other large animals of the open grasslands. Many of these animals are faster than lions, so teamwork pays off. Female lions also raise their cubs communally.

After the hunt, the group effort often degenerates to squabbling over the sharing of the kill, with cubs at the bottom of the pecking order. Young lions do not help to hunt until they are about a year old. Lions will hunt alone if the opportunity presents itself, and they also steal kills from hyenas or wild dogs .

Threats to survival

Today, there are only half as many African lions than there were 25 years ago. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) estimates that fewer than 25,000 lions remain in Africa, which is why the organization classifies them as vulnerable to extinction.

African lions face a variety of threats —most of which can be attributed to humans. Fearing that lions will prey on their livestock, which can be a significant financial blow, ranchers may kill the animals both in retaliation and as a preventative measure, sometimes using pesticides as poison . Poachers target the species, too, as their bones and other body parts are valuable in the illegal wildlife trade.

The role trophy hunting plays is controversial . Mismanaged hunting in the past has caused lions to disappear from some habitats, while hunters and those involved in the industry say hunting fees generate money for lion conservation. National Geographic Explorer Craig Packer , however, has said the amount generated by hunting is so "underwhelming…[that] it’s no wonder that despite years of lion hunting being allowed in [some] countries, the lion population has plummeted."

Further fueling this conflict between lions and humans is the loss of prey across the species’ range. African lions prey on large herbivores, a population that’s being hunted for an increasingly commercial bushmeat trade. The IUCN estimates these populations have declined by as much as 52 percent in East Africa and 85 percent in West Africa. With less food available in the wild, lions may be more likely to turn to hunting domesticated animals like livestock.

Conservation

Helping humans learn how to live with lions is key to ensuring their survival. Conservation organizations are working to change attitudes toward lions through compensation initiatives . Some of these models offer communities financial rewards when their local lion populations rise, while others pay farmers to replace their livestock that have been killed by lions.

Other conservationists have focused on creating protected areas for lions. In Botswana’s Selinda area, only a single lioness and her cub lived there when filmmakers Dereck and Beverly Joubert, both National Geographic Explorers, turned the land into a protected reserve and photographic tourism camp. Now about a hundred lions roam the reserve.

In Mozambique’s Zambezi Delta, where the effects of a protracted civil war caused lion numbers to plummet, the largest-ever lion translocation project brought in 24 lions from South Africa in 2018—they’re now settled in and starting to have cubs.

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African Lion Panthera leo

Distribution

Sub-Saharan Africa

Open woodlands, scrubs, grasslands

Conservation Status

Least concern, near threatened, critically endangered, extinct in the wild.

The Lion is one of the largest cats in the world with males being taller and heavier than females and displaying a mane of long hair around their faces.

Crowning Glory

The color of the lion’s mane can range from blonde, red, brown, and black. Its color depends on the lion’s health, testosterone levels, and vigor. The darker the mane, the more the lion will scare off potential rivals and attract potential mates. 

African lions are diurnal and nocturnal; however, they are extremely lazy and can sleep for up to 22 hours per day.

Gardens of the World

Gardens of the World is a beautiful tunnel garden featuring different kinds of plants from all over the world. You can see flora, landscapes, and representations of the seven continents, that’s why it’s called Gardens of the World! For North America flora representation, there are cacti and succulents. There is also a replica of the famous Iguazu falls for South America. Appreciating European culture, there are statues of Roman Gods and Goddesses you can see inside the garden. To represent the flora of Africa, there are cape leadwort and asparagus ferns, among others. There is also a Japanese Garden featuring bonsai trees and pagodas, representing Asia. Lastly, Antarctic flora consists of mosses and ferns which are also featured in the Gardens of the World.

Michel's Garden

Michel’s Garden is a flora walking trail showcasing a vast orchid garden and featuring Senyorito’s 40-year-old orchid collection. Phalaenopsis, vanda strap-leaf, debdrobium, and oncidium are just a few types of the one million orchids you can see at the garden. For plantsmen, different types of plants and orchids are also available for purchase at Michel’s Garden.

African Savanna

Experience the thrill of an African safari ride! For the first time in the country, get up close and personal with zebras and African antelopes in this unique safari ride. Take the vehicle tour inside the African Savanna, and witness these animals in their habitat.

Operating hours: 10:00 AM - 3:30 PM

See Cebu Safari birds in action!

You can see various birds on the stage: from the friendly macaws, chattering lories, and African crowned crane to raptures like Philippine sea eagle, Philippine owl, and Philippine hawk. See their tricks and talents, and know more about our aviary friends at the Bird Show.

1:45 PM Daily.

White Lion Safari

Meet the king of the wild!

Meet our white lions all the way from France and Germany. Take the enclosed safari truck and enjoy the 15-minute ride in the white lion’s habitat.

Cut-off for tickets: 1:30 PM Operating Hours:  09:00 AM to 03:00 PM

Pick-up Points: Basecamp and Orangutown

Petting Zoo

Kids, have a chance to pet our baby farm animals! Meet and greet with our baby goats and cows, ducks, rabbits, and more.

Operating hours: 09:00 AM - 12:00 NN; 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM

Animal Feeding

Check out how our keepers feed the safari animals. Currently, we have feeding schedules for our giraffes, white Bengal tigers, and orange Bengal tigers.

Orange Bengal tiger feeding is at 10:30 AM White Bengal tiger feeding is at 2:30 PM Giraffe feeding is at 3:00 PM