Woodland Park Zoo announces the arrival of male South African lion and female North American porcupine

SEATTLE, 2014-04-25 — /Travel PR News/ — Woodland Park Zoo has a new king on the savanna, a male South African lion named Xerxes (zurk-seez). And a new baby on the block, a female North American porcupine, known as a porcupette.

The 6-year-old lion arrived in March from El Paso Zoo under the African Lion Species Survival Plan (SSP). SSPs are cooperative breeding programs of rare and endangered animals in North American zoos to help ensure genetically diverse and healthy populations.

Xerxes, currently weighing in at 350 pounds, has been living behind the scenes in standard quarantine for new animal arrivals. Last week, zoo staff began introducing Xerxes to the lion exhibit without 4-year-old Adia (uh-DEE-uh), a female and the zoo’s only other lion. “We want to give him a chance to check out his new turf before adding Adia to the mix,” explained Martin Ramirez, a mammal curator at the zoo. “So far the introductions to the exhibit have gone smoothly. He presently has visual access to Adia and the two lions are showing positive signs of a smooth introduction ahead. They’re very talkative to each other, exchanging friendly vocalizations while in the off-exhibit dens.”

Adia gave birth to a litter of four cubs in November 2012 with Hubert, then 13 years old. Earlier this year, their four offspring were moved to other zoos under the SSP for African lions and Hubert was moved to Los Angeles Zoo with another lioness from Woodland Park Zoo. According to Ramirez, Xerxes has not sired any offspring yet. “We have high hopes that Xerxes and Adia will produce their own cubs, especially since Xerxes isn’t represented in the gene pool of the SSP,” said Ramirez. If everything goes as planned, the zoo will begin introducing the two lions in a couple of weeks. Meanwhile, lion fans can see Xerxes in the lion exhibit daily from 9:00 a.m. to noon. Adia is in the exhibit during the afternoon.

The porcupette was born April 4 to Molly and Oliver, both 3 years old; she represents the parents’ second offspring. Deanna Ramirez, a collection manager at the zoo, explained that the porcupette has access all day and night to the porcupine exhibit in the Northern Trail but prefers spending most of her time exploring in a den behind the scenes. “She grooms herself a lot and is experimenting with different solid foods, such as leafeater biscuits and different types of browse (plant materials). I think our visitors will begin seeing her more frequently on exhibit as she becomes more active and curious.” She has doubled her weight the past couple of weeks, currently weighing just over 2 pounds.

Visit http://woodlandparkzblog.blogspot.com/2014/04/porcupine-baby-will-make-you-squee.html for photos.

Porcupettes are born with full coats and open eyes, unlike many of their rodent counterparts. Within hours of birth their soft coat of quills begins to harden, immediately preparing them for protection from predators. They become active quickly and, as natural tree dwellers, their climbing instincts take hold within weeks of delivery. Climbing makes foraging easier on the young, a skill set they exercise early in their development as they wean themselves from mom and transition to an herbivorous diet of leaves, twigs and bark.

Zoo hours are 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. daily. Beginning May 1, hours change to 9:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. daily. For information about admission fees or zoo membership, visit zoo.org . Or call 206.548.2500 or 548.2599 (TTY).

Media contact: Gigi Allianic, Caileigh Robertson
206.548.2550 | woodlandparkzoopr@zoo.org

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