Incredible Global Conservation Effort Marked By Housewarming Party For African Lion Trio

African Lions occupy a unique place in the human imagination with their beauty, grace, and power. Yet, these prolific apex predators are considered "vulnerable" according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List. In the urgency of conservation among the global community to reduce species decline from climate change, poaching, and territory loss, awareness of these animals is paramount, and there are many zoos and wildlife reserves worldwide dedicated to their proliferation.The Virginia Zoo in Norfolk, Virginia, hosted a "Housewarming Party," marking an achievement in the global conservation effort and celebrating their new pride of African lions, Ansel, Asha, and Kali. Relocating from Blank Park Zoo in Des Moines, Iowa, four-year-old sisters Asha and Kali will join five-year-old Ansel, who arrived in April from the Henry Vilas Zoo in Madison, Wisconsin. The trio is now beginning the official pride-building process and acclimating to their new coastal climate with plenty of fanfare, heavy-duty toys, and other enrichment items.Story written by Alex Lemieux.