On Saturday, 9 March 2019, we celebrated the 70th anniversary of the Ljubljana ZOO. Within the framework of the anniversary celebrations, we opened a new lion enclosure with Maksimus and Čaja reigning in it.

Anniversary activities were focused on lions and other big cats of the world. Visitors were invited to learn about them in biological and creative workshops, and backstage they could meet their caretakers and see their toys and indoor dwellings.

Over 1500 visitors celebrated with us and the youngest especially enjoyed the animal animation performed by the music group Čuki and Fisherman Pepe.

Mayor of Ljubljana Zoran Janković and the Director of Ljubljana ZOO Zdenka Ban Fischinger opened the new lion enclosure.

The new lion enclosure

The new enclosure spans over 1200 m2 and is designed in line with contemporary guidelines for lion breeding in ZOOs. The indoor premises encompass 170 m2 and the outside space covers over 1000 m2. Lions like to have control over their surroundings, that is why there is a hill in the enclosure overlooking the neighbouring enclosure with antelopes. In front of the observation space for visitors there is a covered heated deck where the lions like to linger. The enclosure is sunny with trees providing natural shade and it also has a pool. The indoor space is heated. The lions are going to live there during winter when it is too cold for them outside, and the visitors can observe them through the glass.

Čaja and Maksimus

Six years have passed since we have heard lions roar under the Rožnik Hill – Maksimus and Čaja are two of just 100 representatives of an endangered Asian lion subspecies preserved within the framework of the European Association of Zoos, and there are only around 500 of them left in nature. In the Ljubljana ZOO they are already well adjusted to the new spacious dwelling and the keepers, and they are enjoying the early spring sun.