They were together in life – and now, in death.
Auckland Zoo has euthanised its last two lions, bringing an end to its famous pride.
Kura, the 19-year-old matriarch, and her 17-year-old daughter Amira, were put down at 8.30am, before the zoo opened to the public.
The zoo says Kura – an elderly lion – had deteriorating physical health.
Amira was euthanised to prevent her from suffering mental distress after losing her mum.
A crew from TVNZ's SUNDAY programme has been following zoo staff over the past month, as they made the difficult decision to euthanise the lions.
SUNDAY reporter Jehan Casinader was there when the procedures took place, and says it was an emotional time.
"Some of the staff have looked after these lions for many years. They were devastated to say goodbye to them, especially at the same time," he said.
Kura and Amira lived at the zoo for almost two decades. During that time, they had around 15 million visitors.
The decision to euthanise the pair means Auckland Zoo is left with an empty lion enclosure for the first time in more than 60 years.
"It really does open up a complex ethical debate around the reasons for euthanasia in zoos," says Casinader.
As technology and veterinary science have improved, zoos are keeping animals alive for much longer than they would live in the wild.
But when health issues arise, that creates a dilemma: when is the right time to kill a beloved animal?
Watch the full story on SUNDAY this weekend at 7.30pm on TVNZ1.
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