A lion killing a lioness sounds like something you’d see in a movie, right? Definitely one wouldn’t expect to see it at a zoo.

When visiting the zoo, the purpose of the observation is normally to view animals that aren’t necessarily household pets in a setting that resembles their natural habitat. However, no one wants to see everything that typically happens in the habitat. Unfortunately, visitors at the Dallas Zoo had the tumultuous experience of seeing a horribly gruesome and repugnant incident most people only witness in movies.

Over the past weekend, families visiting the Dallas Zoo watched as a male lion attack a lioness with a chilling, fatal bit to the neck. Visitors were stunned and quite disturbed by the horrible that took place. Zoo officials stated that they would be investigating the incident in an effort to uncover what may have provoked the lion’s attack.

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The Dallas Zoo released a brief statement in regards to the incident. It was reported that the five-year-old lioness, whom they referred to as Johari, ‘died very quickly.’ Surprisingly, the zoo also stated that the lioness had ‘no visible outward signs of trauma.’ The other four lions were immediately removed from the exhibit, as it was shut down for the remainder of the day.

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Lynn Kramer, D.V.M., Dallas Zoo vice president of animal operations and welfare weighed in on the unfortunate turn of events. She also shared her personal experiences and sentiments of the lioness. “Johari was a remarkable animal, as are all of our lions,” said Kramer. “This is a very rare and unfortunate occurrence. In my 35 years as a veterinarian in zoos, I’ve never seen this happen. Johari helped usher in a time of exciting changes at the Dallas Zoo. She was part of the grand opening of the Giants of the Savanna in 2010, along with her sisters, Josiri and Lina. She was very smart and often was the first to pick up on new training measures that allowed our veterinarian staff to monitor their health,” said Kramer of Johari.

The Dallas Zoo also expressed their gratitude for the community support they’re received during the tragic time.
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