In the first half of this year, two animals named León passed away at Seoul Grand Park in South Korea. One was a lion, and the other was a male North Chinese leopard. The leopard, also named León, was particularly special as he was the last North Chinese leopard remaining at the park.
According to Seoul Grand Park, a male lion named León died in February, and a male North Chinese leopard named León died in June.
The 9-year-old lion, born in 2015, did not reach the average lifespan of 15 to 17 years for lions in captivity. He passed away in early February due to multiple organ failure caused by enteritis, a condition where several organs fail to function properly.
Seoul Grand Park officials noted that the lion had been healthy and showed no unusual behaviors. They added, “Even up until the day before his death, there were no issues with his responses to enrichment activities—which simulate a wild environment for zoo animals—or with his activity levels or food intake.”
The North Chinese leopard León, born in 2006, was 18 years old this year and had been under special care due to his senior age. His health began to deteriorate in early June, and he passed away in mid-July.
An official from Seoul Grand Park stated, “The leopard León passed away due to multiple organ failure associated with old age.”
This leopard was the last North Chinese leopard remaining at Seoul Grand Park. As of 2020, the park had four North Chinese leopards. However, two of them, Max and Beomi, were transferred to zoos in Germany and Denmark for species management. The last remaining leopard, Habomi, passed away in 2021.