Lion

The lion is a three year old female called “Shira”. She comes from the Kolmården Zoo in Sweden and weighs 122 kg. An old fracture can be seen in one of thevertebrae close to the scapula and pieces of boneare visible in the stomach.

This lioness named Shira was raised in captivity. At the age of three she already weighs 122 kilograms. The lion is one of the five big cats and the second largest living felid. Wild lions currently exist in sub-Saharan Africa and in Asia. In the wild, males seldom live longer than 10 to 14 years, as injuries sustained from continual fighting with rival males greatly reduce their longevity. In captivity they can live over 20 years. They typically inhabit savanna and grassland, although they may take to bush and forest.