African Lion
Panthera leo krugeri

In the wild, the aging male African lion faces a tough reality—sooner or later, younger, stronger, more aggressive males will challenge him. He will ultimately succumb to one of these upstarts and be cast out of his own pride, weakened, wounded and left to scrape by on his own until death finds him.

Here at Lincoln Park Zoo, Adelor’s slide into the golden years is much more pleasant. At 15, his body is holding up nicely thanks to good genes, a scientifically balanced diet and expert veterinary care. His pride of two females is healthy (and mounted frequently, thank you very much). And crowds still gasp when the king of this urban jungle belts out his echoing roars.

“Wild male lions generally live about 12–15 years, at which time competition from other adult male lions can get too tough,” explains Zoological Manager of Carnivores Mark Kamhout. “At zoos, a male lion may reach 20 years.”

Based on appearances, Adelor is doing fine. His mane is still thick, as it will remain. (Lions don’t bald.) Those fear-inspiring teeth are still strong. His 370-pound body remains powerful. “He spends a little more time sleeping these days,” says Kamhout. “But he still hangs out with his females, who are a few years younger than him.”

A few gray hairs are creeping across Adelor’s muzzle. But that’s natural, inspiring actually—signs of a king aging into his crown.