Phoenix Zoo welcomes new African lion, Pilipili

The Phoenix Zoo has announced its newest resident, Pilipili, a three-year-old African lion.

The male lion, who weighs nearly 500 pounds, was brought to the Valley from Chicago’s Lincoln Park Zoo. Pilipili joins female lionesses Zuri and Kamara at the Phoenix Zoo.

The move comes after a recommendation was made as part of the African Lion Species Survival Plan®, a program dedicated to maintaining a healthy, sustainable population of African lions.

Joaquin Hidalgo, Marketing and Communications Coordinator at the Phoenix Zoo, joined “Arizona Horizon” to discuss their new addition.

“Pilipili is the star of the show right now,” Hidalgo said. “He brought a lot of fans with him. These people are obsessed with him. I immediately became obsessed with him the moment I saw his picture. I fell in love.”

Pilipili might have human fans but the ones he needs to impress the most are his new roommates, Zuri and Kamara.

“We want to have a healthy population of lions because, unfortunately, they are listed as vulnerable,” Hidalgo said. “They’ve lost 90% of their natural habitat in the wild.”

The African Lion Species Survival Plan is seen as a genetic dating site for vulnerable animals such as the lions at the Phoenix Zoo. The program allows professionals to look at animals’ genetics across their databases, and then make the best match.

Zuri gave birth to two cubs named Jasiri and Azizi in 2024, who are now living at the Miami Zoo to also participate in the program. Jasiri and Azizi were the first lions born at the Phoenix Zoo in over 30 years.

“Now it’s Kamara’s time,” Hidalgo said. “Kamara’s going to be a first-time mom this time around. Fingers crossed, right? We’re excited to see how that’s going to turn out.”

To learn more about the lions and to plan your next trip, visit the Phoenix Zoo’s website.