09/10/2025
With the recent announcement about the new friendship between lions Haji and Mekita, we received questions and concerns about their body conditions. To us, this is a perfect scenario for an educational opportunity to provide more information about lions and their body conditioning.
All of the animals at the North Carolina Zoo receive specialized diets that are designed to replicate natural feed-forage patterns. In the wild, lions may go over a week without eating. Here at the Zoo, the lions experience one "fast day" per week in which they only receive a bone with a little meat on it, and the rest of the week they receive carefully portioned out amounts of meat.
The indoor lion space includes a built in scale, and the lions are weighed every two weeks.
Here is more from our Chief Veterinarian, Dr. Jb Minter:
“As the Director of Animal Health and Chief Veterinarian at the North Carolina Zoo, I want to thank you for your concern about our lions. Their health and well-being are my top priority, and I’d like to share how we monitor them to ensure they remain in excellent condition.
Our veterinary and animal care teams use a method called body condition scoring (BCS) to evaluate each lion’s health. This system allows us to assess fat coverage, muscle tone, and overall fitness. For a healthy lion, we look for:
➡️ A visible waistline behind the ribs when viewed from above
➡️ Ribs that can be faintly seen but not sharply protruding with no excess fat obscuring the
➡️ Strong muscle definition over the shoulders, hips, and back
➡️ Smooth, fluid movement and the stamina to run, climb, and play
It’s worth noting that lions in the wild are naturally lean animals. While domestic cats and dogs are often slightly overweight, which can make our lions appear “thin” by comparison, maintaining a leaner body condition is far healthier. This reduces strain on their joints, supports cardiovascular health, and allows them to thrive long-term.
Our team provides specialized diets, regular veterinary assessments, and daily enrichment to ensure every lion remains strong and healthy. If any sign of illness or unhealthy weight were ever detected, it would be addressed immediately.
We deeply appreciate your care and concern for our animals. I assure you our lions are thriving, and we remain committed to providing them with the highest standard of care.”
Sincerely,
Jb Minter, MS, DVM, Dipl. American College of Zoological Veterinarian
Director of Animal Health & Chief Veterinarian
North Carolina Zoo
💬 We appreciate your concern and are always happy to share more about how we care for the animals you love!
