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The roaring twenties takes on a new meaning when talking about a lion’s birthday. National Zoo and Aquarium resident Millie celebrated her 21st birthday on Monday, making her at least six years older than the age tawny lions usually reach in the wild. According to senior keep Katie Ness, it also makes her one of the oldest lions in captivity in the region. “The average age in captivity is about 25 years but even at 21 … it is quite a significant age to get to as a big cat,” Ms Ness said. “In the wild they only live 10 to 15 years so the fact that we can get them to 25 – or even up to 30 if we’re lucky – in captivity is pretty amazing. “Being a big cat, it’s similar to domestic cats at home. As they get older they start to have things like renal failure, kidney issues, or arthritis, just because they’re on a full protein diet. “Their bodies are designed in the wild to survive for 10 to 15 years not 25-plus but we’re able to give them a lot of health care and we can treat them if we need to.” Monday’s celebrations included two big presents for Millie, with “21” printed on the front. While other animals may find the packaging the best part of the present, Millie was more than happy to toss the wrapping aside for what was inside – a selection of all of her favourite foods, including red meat, ribs, chicken and eggs. It’s Millie’s love of food that has helped her build a relationship with Ms Ness and the other zookeepers over the years. READ MORE: “Millie is a food girl, so she loved it,” Ms Ness said. “She did get the box stuck on her head for a second, but that seems to happen with all of our cats here on their birthday. “But the way to her heart is usually through food. She very much loves food so being able to tong-feed her or get up close and hand-feed her and having her know that you’re the one that looks after her and brings her food, has built up that relationship with her. “She’s pretty good. She’ll come over to most anybody that is going to bring her food.” Born on February 1, 2000, Millie has been with the National Zoo since she was 20 months old. In that time she’s become one of the zoo’s more popular residents, partly because she’s called it home for almost 20 years, but also because she often takes part in the close-encounter experiences and educational events, as well as being one of the roommates for people staying at Jamala Wildlife Lodge. Millie is also the mother to Marjan and Sabi – the two male lions that live with her in her closure. “She’s a very sweet girl and she’s had cubs in the time that she’s been here and those boys still live with her now,” Ms Ness said. “Mind you, they’re 19 now so they’re not cubs anymore. But she is still the boss. Even though she’s much much smaller than her two boys, she is very much in charge. “Usually the young males will be kicked out of the pride at about 18 months old, or before they turned two because the dominant male in a pride doesn’t want the young males coming and taking over. It’s kind of unusual for females to still live with their adult sons when they’re 19.”
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The roaring twenties takes on a new meaning when talking about a lion’s birthday.
National Zoo and Aquarium resident Millie celebrated her 21st birthday on Monday, making her at least six years older than the age tawny lions usually reach in the wild. According to senior keep Katie Ness, it also makes her one of the oldest lions in captivity in the region.
“The average age in captivity is about 25 years but even at 21 … it is quite a significant age to get to as a big cat,” Ms Ness said.
“In the wild they only live 10 to 15 years so the fact that we can get them to 25 – or even up to 30 if we’re lucky – in captivity is pretty amazing.
“Being a big cat, it’s similar to domestic cats at home. As they get older they start to have things like renal failure, kidney issues, or arthritis, just because they’re on a full protein diet.
“Their bodies are designed in the wild to survive for 10 to 15 years not 25-plus but we’re able to give them a lot of health care and we can treat them if we need to.”
Millie was given a selection of her favourite foods, including red meat, ribs, chicken and eggs. Picture: Supplied
Monday’s celebrations included two big presents for Millie, with “21” printed on the front.
While other animals may find the packaging the best part of the present, Millie was more than happy to toss the wrapping aside for what was inside – a selection of all of her favourite foods, including red meat, ribs, chicken and eggs.
It’s Millie’s love of food that has helped her build a relationship with Ms Ness and the other zookeepers over the years.
“Millie is a food girl, so she loved it,” Ms Ness said.
“She did get the box stuck on her head for a second, but that seems to happen with all of our cats here on their birthday.
One of Millie’s gift boxes did prove to be a little tricky for lion after she got it stuck on her head. Picture: Supplied
“But the way to her heart is usually through food. She very much loves food so being able to tong-feed her or get up close and hand-feed her and having her know that you’re the one that looks after her and brings her food, has built up that relationship with her.
“She’s pretty good. She’ll come over to most anybody that is going to bring her food.”
Born on February 1, 2000, Millie has been with the National Zoo since she was 20 months old. In that time she’s become one of the zoo’s more popular residents, partly because she’s called it home for almost 20 years, but also because she often takes part in the close-encounter experiences and educational events, as well as being one of the roommates for people staying at Jamala Wildlife Lodge.
Millie is also the mother to Marjan and Sabi – the two male lions that live with her in her closure.
“She’s a very sweet girl and she’s had cubs in the time that she’s been here and those boys still live with her now,” Ms Ness said.
“Mind you, they’re 19 now so they’re not cubs anymore. But she is still the boss. Even though she’s much much smaller than her two boys, she is very much in charge.
“Usually the young males will be kicked out of the pride at about 18 months old, or before they turned two because the dominant male in a pride doesn’t want the young males coming and taking over. It’s kind of unusual for females to still live with their adult sons when they’re 19.”
