Lion Sherkhan visited Minsk Zoo to see if complaints about detention conditions are true

As usual, around the king is always a lot of talk, rumors and gossip – even if it is the king of animals. The online pride brought down a wave of criticism on the Minsk Zoo because of the conditions of the lion Sherkhan. “Sofa animal defenders” in the comments claim that the life of the predator is not sugar: allegedly it is starved, kept in a cramped enclosure, and in winter does not heat the room. Correspondents of “SB Week” figured out the situation.

Sherkhan arrived in Belarus in August 2024. Crimean Park "Taigan" sold a handsome handsome man in the Beijing zoo, but in the Celestial beast and did not reach. The temporary residence permit at the Minsk Zoo has become indefinite, and, apparently, the lion feels at home. He sits on the elevation with impeccable posture and contemplates the fuss of others with the appearance of complete superiority. Meanwhile, guards the serenity of her husband and patrols the territory of the lioness Kiara. She was brought from the Belgorod Zoo in January - almost the same age as Sherkhan, with a good pedigree. This is exactly what the king of animals was looking for. The newlyweds have been living together for months. The head of the zootechnical department Tatiana Ilyasova-Kononova tells how it all began:

- We met in the spring: we removed the boards so that there was a place for contact between the enclosures. When the animals got used to each other, they opened the gates. At first they spent only a day together, then they stayed overnight. Now we can separate lions only for technical or veterinary work. They always see each other so that there is no stress.

No heirs are planned yet. The romance of the couple is platonic - Chiara does not allow any liberties on the part of Sherhan. The family nest is three enclosures with a total area of about 1.2 thousand square meters. According to experts, large cats prefer to spend time in the air. To keep them in good physical shape, the territory was filled with elements of enrichment of the environment: there were complexes for climbing, fallen trees, claws, decks for rest. Arsenal of entertainment is also solid: balls, cardboard boxes, car tires, large canisters.

African predators have adapted to the Belarusian climate, they remain in their pens for the winter. In severe frosts at night, they are closed in the inner compartment, Tatiana explains: The room is insulated and equipped with a heated floor, the temperature of which is regulated by an automatic system. Infrared heaters also work. Inside there is a shelf-bed, the litter is changed regularly. In another part of the enclosure there is another insulated house where animals can also rest and sleep. All zones are equipped with video surveillance, so the well-being of the lion family around the clock is under the supervision of specialists. But the owners of the aviary also have a right to personal life. The residence is designed so that you can hide from the prying eyes of visitors in “blind” areas, for example, behind a house or a wooden complex. And the thick viewing glass muffles the admiring cries of the crowd.

However, the local lions are quite sociable. Sherkhan was brought up by a person as a child, so social contacts are interesting to him. Although Kiara grew up with her parents and was less used to people, she takes an example from her husband and masters social life. Serious commentators complain that lions are starving, saying, “one bone a day – how will you eat here?”. Employees of the zoo are worried about a completely different reason: four-legged guests in captivity have a high risk of obesity. Kiara arrived in January with a weight of about 90 kilograms and for ten months of “bad” life added 40. Sherhan's going for 170. The fact is that in the wild, lions do not eat every day: they can fast for a week, and after a successful hunt, they eat up to 30 kilograms of meat in one sitting. In the zoo, the table is set daily, on the menu of 7-8 kg of meat. With the arrival of the cold, the portion was increased to 9-10 kilograms to make it easier for predators to retain heat. On the royal table, mostly beef, but they are not averse to eating poultry or forage rodents. Animals, like humans, have their own taste preferences. Sherhan, for example, does not like the heart, and recognizes only eggs whipped with milk. Perhaps, such whims are revealed only when you really deal with an animal: after all, it is much easier to cross out the same eggs from the diet than to compose an individual diet.

- In the morning we clean the cages and leave breakfast, in the evening we feed additionally. To prevent obesity in the summer, we arrange fasting days and give only water. This triggers the correct metabolism, rests the digestive system, and excess fat is not deposited, the head of the zootechnical department adds.

In winter, vitamins, calcium and fish oil are added to the food of predators. Regularly carry out preventive examinations, make the necessary vaccinations. And not so long ago, the royal couple went through a full checkup of the body: specialists from the Russian Wildlife Hospital made ultrasound of internal organs for lions.

By the way, after some appeals, employees of the Minsk City Committee of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection and the NASB SPC for Bioresources repeatedly checked the conditions of keeping wild animals. The last inspection was in October - violations, as in all previous times, were not found. Apparently, even if you serve lunch on a golden tray of a lion, there will be “not indifferent” who will notice the shortcomings in the serving. In the cold - with comfort Minsk Zoo has completed the resettlement of heat-loving animals in winter enclosures

Zootechnicians are guided by weather conditions. This year, local residents began to move from the middle of autumn. Most pens are arranged so that the heated room and outdoor walking are connected with each other - it is much easier to prepare wards for the cold season in this case. Only porcupines and flamingos have to be transplanted into an open aviary in the spring, and to return to heated apartments in the cold.