Fintan, a rare white lion, had a big personality and a big roar that could be heard in the zoo parking lot.
By Wanda Wierzbicki
On December 13, the Toronto Zoo sadly said goodbye to Fintan, the majestic male white lion with the beautiful “luscious” mane who had called the zoo home for over 13 years. Fintan arrived in 2012 as a 10-month-old cub from a zoo in South Africa alongside two female lions, Makali and Lemon.
Fintan, Makali and Lemon are rare white lions. They have a genetic mutation, which both parents need to have in order to pass it on to their cubs. They are not albino, but they are lighter in colour than the more common tawny lions.
Fintan had a big personality and a big roar that could be heard in the parking lot. He certainly knew his name. He always looked up when called, hoping that he was going to get a meatball treat. He weighed about 420 lbs. The two female lions are smaller; Makali weighs about 280 and Lemon weighs about 260. On a typical day, Fintan would eat 4 kilograms of meat.
Over the years, he built trusting relationships with his Wildlife Care team, and his larger-than- life personality really became apparent. He was vocal and affectionate and actively engaged during his positive reinforcement training sessions, mastering activities like voluntary blood draws and being weighed on the scale.
In 2015, Fintan and Makali became parents to four male cubs named Gus, Hank, Oliver and Harrison. When the cubs were about 18 months old in early 2017, they were transferred to a zoo in Quebec.
In 2022, Fintan had some major dental work done and his incisor was removed in a procedure that was viewed by many from the gallery in the Wildlife Health Centre. A year later a second tooth was removed. He managed just fine without these teeth.
Fintan had been under veterinary care for the last several months and despite the continuous efforts of the Veterinary and Wildlife Care teams, his condition worsened and the decision was made to say goodbye to him. He had been on daily medications to keep him comfortable.
Fintan had a majestic presence and was a true favourite in the hearts of guests, members, staff and volunteers, and his absence is felt by everyone who knew him. He was the true King of the African Savanna.