AN endangered lion left on his own after his mate and cubs were moved on is to be joined by a new female.
Jay has been the sole adult lion at Edinburgh Zoo since partner Roberta and one cub relocated to Denmark in 2022 under a breeding programme.
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His two remaining male cubs followed suit last year.
But zoo chiefs have now lined up a new mate, with lioness Bindee set to arrive from France within weeks as part of a European endangered species scheme.
Edinburgh’s animal collection manager Donald Gow said: “Jay is fairly laid back and chilled out.
“He’s been a good father. He’s produced a couple of litters.
“But we’re waiting on a female to join him. It helps maintain a healthy and genetically diverse population in zoos.”
Jay was born at Bristol Zoo in 2010 and moved to Edinburgh in 2012.
Roberta followed from Magdeburg Zoo in Germany in 2014.
The pair had three cubs, Mitaali, Keshari and Kushanu, in 2019.
It’s estimated there are 350 to 600 of his Asiatic species left in the wild due to habitat loss and poachers
