A Pennsylvania zoo has euthanized* one of the five oldest male lions in the United States due to age-related ailments*, a zoo spokeswoman said yesterday.

    The 21-year-old African lion, Juma, arrived at the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium in 1990 when he was just 1 year old.

    Juma had been confiscated* from a private breeder in Ohio after local farmers complained to the sheriff’s office about him escaping from his enclosure and eating poultry*.

    During the past year, the lion had been suffering and stopped eating a week before he was euthanized. “He had a lot of age-related illnesses and also feline* dementia*, which is not uncommon since he was very old,” said Tracy Gray, a zoo spokeswoman.

    Shiba, a female lion who was Juma’s companion, spent hours grooming* and stayed close to him before he died.

    (SD-Agencies)