For folks at the Los Angeles Zoo, there was no bond stronger than the one between Hubert and Kalisa, an elderly African lion couple that had been at the facility for six years. The two were described by zookeepers as “inseparable,” devoted to each other despite having never borne offspring together.
Hubert and Kalisa’s life together ended on July 30, 2020. According to a report by CNN, the zoo decided to euthanize the iconic lion couple due to health issues suffered by both aging lions. The facility shared the sad news on its official Facebook page with photos of the big cats during their most affectionate moments.
Kalisa was born on Dec. 26, 1998, at the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle. Hubert, meanwhile, was born on Feb. 7, 1999 — just two months younger than his would-be life mate — at Chicago’s Lincoln Park Zoo. When Hubert was brought to Woodland Park, the two became an inseparable item.
In 2014, the couple was transferred to the LA Zoo where they spent the last six years together.