Ann, Zoo Knoxville's 13-year-old African lioness, died Saturday.
Ann was born at the zoo in 2006 and would have celebrated her birthday next month. She "was a beloved ambassador for her species because of her playful and curious personality," spokeswoman Tina Rolen wrote in a news release.
The lioness underwent emergency surgery eleven days ago to treat pyometra, a bacterial infection of the uterus that is often deadly and occurs more often in older cats. She died of suspected complications from the infection Saturday, despite receiving care at the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine.
“Ann was a very charismatic cat who was always youthful and full of life,” said Terry Cannon, curator of mammals for Zoo Knoxville. “She inspired a lot of people to care about lions and take action to protect them, and that is a fitting legacy for her.”
Zoo Knoxville is involved in conservation work to save endangered species and participates in the African Lion Species Survival Plan. The plan from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums lays out recommendations to improve breeding for more than 370 animals across 105 accredited zoos.
Zoo Knoxville now has two African lions, Jimmy and Zarin. The zoo's other lioness, Elsa, died last year, also at age 13, after falling ill.
The African lion is the second largest big cat in the world, behind the tiger, and is classified as "vulnerable" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. The species' population in the wild has declined by 43 percent over the past two decades, according to the African Wildlife Foundation, and there are thought to be about 23,000 cats remaining.
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Zoo Knoxville's lioness, Ann, dies after emergency surgery - Knoxville News Sentinel
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