Linton Lions

This is the page dedicated to giving background information on the lions that this blog features that are resident at Linton Zoo, Cambridgeshire.  

For those of you who are regular readers of this blog the names Riziki and Karla and Zuri and Safi, will be more than familiar to you. This page aims to give a background to these individuals so here is a bit about them. However an overall history beyond this can be found on The Founder Pride page.

Linton Zoo has held lions ever since the takeover by the Simmons family in 1972. The original pair consisted of Dusty, who was born at Southport Zoo in May 1971, and Tanya who was born at Windsor Safari Park in 1972. Dusty was believed to be the biggest Lion in Britain and a picture below is taken from a Linton Zoo postcard. Please excuse the bad quality of this picture, it is a rather small postcard and it did have to be scanned in, however it still gives you a good impression of his size!

Below is another photo again from another postcard (so again apologies for the bad quality!) Shows Dusty and Tanya. Dusty and Tanya lived in what is now the snow leopard enclosure at Linton Zoo, at it's time it was a very spacious and modern facility with indoor viewing in the house. 

Dusty and Tanya were a very prolific pair and cubs from them went all around the World including UK establishments such as Longleat, West Midlands, Knowsley, Woburn and Chester Zoo. So there is a very high possibility that Riziki and Karla may descend from cubs of this pair, as they themselves were born at Woburn Safari Park. There is also a possibility that Zuri descends from Tanya's line of lions, as the lions of Windsor Safari Park went to West Midlands Safari Park when it closed.

Their second pair of lions, which were housed in the enclosure that Riziki and Karla are in now shown below. The second pair consisted of Jaspa and Lucy, both born at the Zoo in 1977 and were held back from breeding in other collections. This enclosure would have been considered huge when it was built, being a complete outdoor enclosure, it also allows for privacy with viewing only being on this side.

Jaspa and Lucy had a few litters of cubs, the last of which was Lily, who died at the zoo in 2002, leaving the zoo lion-less. Above is a picture of Jaspa from a Linton Zoo guidebook in 1982. A photograph of Lily taken from this site, and it does not belong to me, is posted below, this photo was taken in 2002 the year that she died.

The death of Lily gave Linton Zoo an opportunity to start up their successful lion breeding programme again. In the Summer of 2003 African Lion cubs Riziki and Karla arrived from Woburn Safari Park having been rejected from their mothers. Below is a picture of Riziki, notice the huge likeness between him and Jaspa above. 

In November 2005 Riziki and Karla gave birth to the next generation of Linton lions, a single cub called Safina. Safina was rejected and was then hand reared, a brand new enclosure was built for her and Zuri was brought in the following year from West Midlands Safari Park as a future mate for her.

Pictured above is the brand new enclosure built for the younger pair in 2006. The award winning 'Lion Paradise'. Pictured below is a family tree of the new line of Linton lions, showing all their birth dates.

Below are now profiles on the four individual lions in which this blog is based...

Riziki was born on the 5th July at Woburn Safari

Park to Sly and Tamby. He was hand reared at

Linton Zoo where he arrived at just a few days

old. Riziki is a typical laid back lion with a very

chilled out personality. His favourite spot is on

his platform where he will give his very superior

stance as visitors walk past, as you can see he

does look superb.

Karla was born at Woburn Safari Park on the 29th

August to Shane and Amber. She too was hand 

reared at Linton Zoo from a few days old and was

brought in as a mate for Riziki. Karla is the more

fiesty of the pair and is always up for a play

when she is not sleeping.

Safina was born at Linton Zoo to Riziki and Karla

on the 30th November 2005. She was the first cub

born to the pair and was hand reared having been

rejected. Safi was kept at the zoo to start a second

breeding pair. Safina can be known for being rather 

stroppy sometimes but to me atleast she is fairly 

friendly and she will always come up to say hello.

She is a huge tart and she has a huge personality.

I have a huge soft spot for her!

This is Zuri, he was born at West Midlands Safari

Park on the 3rd July to Dee and Luke. He was brought

to Linton Zoo to be hand reared as a suitor for Safina.

Zuri is a fab lion, incredibly laid back, with a very

potential daft look about him, with his short

front legs and very long mane. Despite his huge size

he is a big soppy to anyone who knows him well, and

is a big show off who will come up for some 

for a friendly greeting.

Linton Zoo has long had a very succesful line of lions throughout it's forty year history, and with two pairs, it holds possibly the two most splendid looking male lions throughout the UK. In my opinion there are not many other better places to see lions in British Zoos.

Above is a photo of Zuri patrolling his enclosure. Lions at Linton Zoo come so close out of choice, they are truly fantastic individuals, who have come to love the company of any sort, human or animal, Lions are social animals and this is  very readily seen in their behaviour at the zoo. What a superb sight they are.