Inseparable elderly lions Hubert and Kalisa put down together so that neither has to live alone

The remarkable love story of Hubert and Kalisa, the inseparable pair of African lions at the Los Angeles Zoo, came to a touching end in 2020. Both lions, who had delighted zoo visitors for years, were euthanized due to age-related illnesses that severely impacted their quality of life. At 21 years old, Hubert and Kalisa had far exceeded the typical lifespan of 14 to 17 years for lions. While fans mourned their loss, many found solace in knowing the two companions left this world together, never having to live without one another.

"It is with a heavy heart that we announce the loss of our African lion pair, Hubert and Kalisa. Animal care and health staff made the difficult decision to humanely euthanize the 21-year-old lions today due to their declining health and age-related illnesses that had diminished their quality of life," the Los Angeles Zoo & Botanical Gardens announced on social media. "Hubert and Kalisa are an iconic part of the LA Zoo experience, and our staff and guests have been touched by their loyal companionship," said Denise Verret, CEO and zoo director of the LA Zoo. "These affectionate companions came to the LA Zoo six years ago, and they quickly charmed themselves into our hearts as we observed their magnificent beauty and unique bond."

"It was often said, you don't see Kalisa without Hubert being close by," Verret added. "So, while it is truly heart-wrenching that we had to say goodbye to this iconic pair, we can take comfort in knowing they left together. These lions will remain a positive part of our history, and they will be greatly missed." According to PEOPLE, Hubert was born at Chicago's Lincoln Park Zoo on February 7, 1999, and Kalisa on December 26, 1998, at Seattle's Woodland Park Zoo, where the pair were introduced.

The pair arrived at the Los Angeles Zoo together in 2014, and although Hubert fathered 10 cubs over the years, he never had any with Kalisa. "This is a very hard loss for our Zoo community. You cannot think of Hubert without thinking of his companion, Kalisa; they've been an inseparable couple for years," Alisa Behar, curator of mammals at the zoo, said in a press release. "In the early mornings, staff would routinely hear Hubert’s waking roars, and I will personally miss hearing them on my walks around the grounds."

"With an average life expectancy of mid-teens and about 17 years in Zoos, Hubert and Kalisa were considered elderly when they arrived at the LA Zoo in 2014 from the Woodland Park Zoo, where they had first bonded. They quickly became favorites among LA Zoo guests and staff and were known for their frequent cuddles and nuzzles," the zoo added in its statement. Verret credited the zoo's veterinary and animal care teams for the longevity of the lions, saying: "I have to commend our animal care and veterinary staff for the great care they’ve given this pair, a couple who lived longer than most lions do in human care and the wild."

Speaking to LA Times, animal programs director Beth Schaefer said that the lions were "charismatic both together as partners and separately" and that "their undivided attention was always on the other as they rested together, cuddled and nuzzled often." When questioned by an Instagram user about their decision to euthanize Hubert and Kalisa instead of letting them die of old age, the zoo replied: "Both lions were in declining health in the past couple of months with a more rapid decline in the past two weeks. Animal health staff had been monitoring Hubert for several months due to slow weight loss when they were alerted to a more rapid decline in mobility for Kalisa recently."

"Both lions started losing more weight in the past month or so and it was clear that their quality of life was also diminishing," it added. "The strength of their social bond has always been clear; euthanizing only one of these individuals would have been more difficult but with both lions having medical issues, this decision, fortunately, did not have to be made."

This article originally appeared 4 years ago.