HOWDY, Y’ALL

Introducing Marcus to his new Texan family required careful planning and coordination by the Dallas Zoo team to make sure it was a safe interaction for all. Animal introductions begin with a “howdy,” which allows the animals to see and smell each other while still physically separated. Plus, it gives them the option to move away into another space if they feel the need.

“We keep it short and sweet to make sure the interactions are not overwhelming for the animals,” Schilke said.

Soon after the howdy, the animals are allowed to interact while still being closely monitored. From the start of the introduction, Shanta, Megan, and Asha gave Marcus a run for his money: posturing at him, taking his food, running by him, and knocking things over. Gorillas use intimidation “displays” to defend their offspring, their food, and their environment from intruders.

“They were testing Marcus — letting him know that they’re not going to allow him to come in and take over,” Schilke said. “The females have been very protective of the younger gorillas. If they didn’t have the little ones, they probably would have been more accepting of Marcus.” Now that they have had a chance to get to know him, Shanta, Megan, and Asha have settled into peaceful cohabitation with Marcus.

RUMBLE IN THE JUNGLE

While the ladies were more difficult to win over, it’s been smooth sailing for Marcus and youngsters Mbani and Saambili, aged 3 and 4 years, respectively. “The young gorillas like to come down and watch him in his bedroom,” Schilke said. “He’ll ‘rumble’ at them, which sounds like a deep purr.”

Rumbling is a good sign that things are going well between Marcus and the two youngest gorillas. “It’s an appeasement sound,” Schilke explained. “It’s used as a greeting or a signal that they’re happy, that everything is okay.”

Marcus also rumbles at the zoologists, which is a really great sign that he feels comfortable in his new environment. “It’s pretty wonderful,” Schilke said. “All of the humans here have fallen in love with him. Overall, Marcus is handling everything beautifully. He’s a cool guy, and it’s really sweet to see him interact with the little ones.”

FROM COMING TOGETHER TO GROWING APART

Over in the Giants of the Savanna, lion cubs Izwi, Ilola, and Tadala, which the Dallas Zoo welcomed in August 2020, are almost fully grown. Clocking in at 300 pounds for Izwi (male) and 220–230 pounds for Ilola and Tadala (females), these cubs have reached sexual maturity, meaning that the time has come for them to separate.

In the wild, adolescent males typically break off from their family to form their own pride. Since Izwi can’t do that at the Dallas Zoo, staffers have gotten creative with how to group this evolving family, including father Kijani, mother Bahati, grandmother Lina, and great-aunt Jasiri, until the SSP makes a recommendation for one or more lions to relocate to different AZA-accredited facilities to start new families.

“At the Dallas Zoo, we have a big habitat space — five bedrooms and two holding yards — so we definitely have enough space to mix and match them,” said Maggie Kloza, a senior zoologist who works with the lions.

“Usually, if the two younger girls are inside, we have an adult female with them — kind of like their babysitter,” she said. “The father-and-son duo, Kijani and Izwi, are getting along really well, so they’re usually together. Kijani is more of a chill male, so he’s probably going to be fine with Izwi for quite a while, even though teenage males can be kind of annoying.”

FELINE SURPRISE

With the mixing and matching, there’s no predicting who’s going to be on habitat at any given time, making it a dynamic experience for visitors. Regardless, it’s bound to be entertaining with the lions’ unique personalities.

The first born of the triplets, Izwi is super smart and picks up on things quickly. “He tries to mimic the older cats — especially the behaviors we’ve taught them like opening their mouths to get a treat,” Kloza said. Also rare for lion behavior: “He was the first lion I’ve seen to go into the pool. Typically lions don’t like water.”

Ilola, “the middle child,” is quiet and sensitive like her father, Kijani. On top of that, “she’s very stubborn,” Kloza said. “She is less eager to train and less motivated by food. She’ll just walk away if she’s not interested.”

In contrast, her sister, Tadala, is spunky, playful, and loves the spotlight like their mom, Bahati. When she goes into the demonstration area, it can take another hour to coax her out if visitors are showering her with attention.

She also has a penchant for being silly. “She’s always trying to play with the other lions — sneaking up behind them or trying to wrestle — even if they’re not into it,” Kloza said. “If you see a lion sitting awkwardly on a rock, log, or another lion, it’s Tadala,” Kloza said with a laugh.

Despite their different personalities, sisters Tadala and Ilola are two peas in a pod and enjoy spending a lot of time together.

You can watch these fun family dynamics by visiting the lion pride in the predator habitat at the Giants of the Savanna and the gorilla family troop along the Gorilla Trail in the Wilds of Africa. Stop by in the morning — the gorillas tend to be at their most active then, and the lions are often featured in our predator encounter, which takes place at 10:30 a.m. daily.