DENVER — Two younger male lions who were born at Denver Zoo will be moving on to other institutions at the beginning of April, the zoo said Sunday.
Tatu was born at the zoo on July 25, 2019, to mom Neliah and dad Tobias. Oskar and his sister Araali were born a few months later, on April 23, 2020, to mom Kamara and, again, Tobias.
Now that the half-brothers are older, their dad pushed them out of the family pride last year. In the wild, lion males leave their birth group around 2 years old and form small bachelor groups before leading their own prides.
Tatu and Oskar will move to other institutions accredited by The Association of Zoos and Aquariums, according to Denver Zoo, which didn't say exactly where the two were headed.
"It's been our pleasure to watch these loveable lions grow up and provide them top-notch care while they lived at Denver Zoo," the zoo said on Facebook. "We're not lion when we say that we'll miss these two, but we're so excited for their next chapters."
The moves support the African Lion Species Survival Plan, which ensures genetically diverse populations in human care, Denver Zoo said.
Before the half-brothers leave, here's a trip down memory lane to when they were both tiny cubs that drew huge crowds and made us all say "awwww."
> The video below aired when Tatu made his public debut:
> This video shows Oskar and Araali after their birth in 2020:
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