San Antonio Zoo Adds Lion Tatu From Kansas
San Antonio visitors will see the new 7-year-old African lion once staff set a public debut date.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Wildlife
The San Antonio Zoo has received Tatu, a 7-year-old African lion, transferred from the Topeka Zoo & Conservation Center in Kansas. Tatu will be kept apart from Sarabi, an 18-year-old African lion already at the zoo, while staff allow supervised contact through protective barriers.
Why it matters
The transfer is part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums' Species Survival Plan, a nationwide effort to keep animal populations healthy and genetically diverse. For San Antonio families, it means a new resident lion at the zoo, with a public debut still to be scheduled.
Tatu is a 7-year-old African lion born July 25, 2019, at the Denver Zoo, and spent three years at the Topeka Zoo & Conservation Center before moving to San Antonio. Sarabi, the 18-year-old African lion already living at the San Antonio Zoo, will share the enclosure area with Tatu only through protective barriers.
The players
San Antonio Zoo
A city zoo in San Antonio known for its African lion pride and participation in national animal breeding programs.
Topeka Zoo & Conservation Center
A zoo in Topeka, Kansas, that housed Tatu for three years before the transfer to San Antonio.
Association of Zoos and Aquariums
The accrediting body that coordinates the Species Survival Plan used to manage genetically diverse animal populations across member zoos.
The details
Tatu and Sarabi will be housed in separate spaces for safety, and animal care staff will allow them to see, smell and interact through protective barriers. This arrangement gives the lions social contact without physical contact during the adjustment period. Tatu is described as playful, intelligent and a little cautious, and he likes rabbits and bones. Staff will give him time to settle in before he meets the public.
Timeline
Tatu was born July 25, 2019, at the Denver Zoo.
Tatu spent roughly three years at the Topeka Zoo & Conservation Center before his move.
Tatu's arrival at the San Antonio Zoo was reported on November 2, 2026.
No official date has been set for Tatu's public debut.
The Home Front
Zoo breeding programs run through the Association of Zoos and Aquariums' Species Survival Plan move animals between accredited institutions to avoid inbreeding. Tatu's transfer from Kansas to Texas is one example of that coordinated, multi-zoo planning.
If you plan a visit to the San Antonio Zoo, check with the zoo for the official opening date of Tatu's public debut before going. Families with young children should plan around the separate-enclosure arrangement, since the lions will not be together.
The takeaway
Tatu's move shows how accredited zoos coordinate animal transfers to keep species healthy. For San Antonio visitors, the public debut date is the detail to watch before planning a trip.
Further reading
For more on animal care and wild species, see our Wildlife coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by KABB.
