Zürich, Switzerland - December 03, 2025 With the arrival of a male lion, the pride at Zurich Zoo is now complete, and the newcomer is currently exploring the Panthera habitat on his own. He has already seen and heard the two lionesses and will soon be introduced to them. Together, the trio is expected to have cubs and support the reserve population of critically endangered Asiatic lions. Lion Jadoo arrived from Nuremberg Zoo at the beginning of October. After a four-week quarantine, he is now settling into his new surroundings and will soon meet the two females, Xallu and Xolani. All three lions have a breeding recommendation from the European Endangered Species Programme (EEP) of the European Association of Zoos and Aquariums (EAZA). Jadoo was born in Nuremberg in September 2023 and, at two years old, is still young. The two lionesses were also born in 2023. Asiatic lions (Panthera leo persica) do not reach sexual maturity until at least three years of age. "The world's only remaining wild population of Asiatic lions lives in India's Gir National Park and the surrounding areas. The population is estimated at around 670 animals. Even though the population is currently considered stable, a single unforeseen event could push the species to the brink of extinction. That's why it's so important that a young breeding group now lives at Zurich Zoo, allowing us to contribute to the conservation of this critically endangered species," explains Zoo Director Severin Dressen. The lions' habitat in India is severely limited, and the national park's capacity has been reached. Expanding protected areas is currently impossible, partly for political reasons, so the population can barely grow or move into new regions. There are no escape routes if events such as forest fires or introduced diseases occur, which could quickly have serious consequences for the remaining animals. Maintaining a genetically diverse reserve population of Asiatic lions in zoos is therefore crucial as a long-term safeguard for wild populations. At present, 41 EAZA zoos take part in the European Endangered Species Programme with 112 animals. For many species, including the Asiatic lion, on-site conservation alone is not enough. Habitats are often fragile, very small, or highly fragmented, and threats such as poaching, illegal wildlife trade, diseases, invasive species, and human-wildlife conflict add further pressure. Species conservation succeeds when different measures work together, as outlined by the IUCN's One Plan Approach, which Zurich Zoo actively supports as a modern zoo.