Two of the world’s rare Barbary lions euthanized together after lifelong bond

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Thheiba and Fidda, two Barbary lion sisters at the Belfast Zoo in Ireland, were humanely euthanized together at the impressive age of 22.

On March 6, 2026, Belfast Zoo sadly announced that the two sibling animals were involved in a vital conservation program called the EAZA Ex-Situ Program (EEP), designed to protect their species.

Barbary lions no longer live in the wild and are only found in breeding programs today. They used to live across North Africa, from Morocco to Egypt, in areas like mountains and deserts.

Lion populations fell sharply in the 1800s because the Turkish and French governments offered money for each lion killed. This was done to protect people and animals as settlements grew. By the 1960s, lions were thought to be completely gone from the region.

Barbary lions were larger than most other African lions, and the males had impressively long, dark manes that often reached their stomachs.

Zoo says goodbye to Barbary lions who kept extinct species alive

I was so sad to hear about Thheiba and Fidda, two amazing Barbary lion sisters! They were part of a really important group – there are only around 200 of these lions left in zoos and wildlife parks. Thankfully, they both had lots of cubs as part of a special breeding program, which is helping to save their kind. It’s incredible that they lived to be 22 years old – that’s much longer than lions usually live in the wild! They really made a difference.

Thheiba, an elderly giraffe at the Belfast Zoo, had recently begun having trouble moving and lost weight. To prevent further suffering, the zoo made the difficult decision to euthanize her, along with her sister.

The veterinarians recommended keeping the lion sisters together, explaining that separating them would have been unnecessarily cruel. Lions are very social creatures, and these two had always lived together.

The long and healthy lives of Thheiba and Fidda, along with their close relationship and importance to conservation efforts, demonstrate our zoo’s ongoing dedication to protecting this famous animal species, according to a recent announcement.

It’s really sad to say goodbye to these two lionesses. Everyone who worked with them, and all of us who got to see them, will definitely miss them. They were truly loved by so many of us visitors!

For the second time this year, a zoo has had to euthanize two animals who were deeply bonded to each other. Back in February, a tapir and a capybara at a UK zoo were humanely euthanized together because keepers believed it was the kindest thing to do, given their close friendship.

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2026-03-12 23:48