IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI)– The Idaho Falls Zoo at Tautphaus Park’s lion, Hondo, is heading to a zoo in Pittsburgh as part of a nationwide breeding program to preserve animal populations.
The Idaho Falls Zoo is part of a ‘species-specific program’ connecting them to breeding programs at zoos around North America and Europe, and because of Hondo’s strong genes, the lion will be sent to breed with two lionesses on the East Coast.
“We are one big dating system,” said Katie Barry, zoo curator for the Idaho Falls Zoo at Tautphaus Park. “They looked at Hondo and his pedigree… and figured out what females would go well with him to make sure the genetic variability is as great as possible.”
Barry said Hondo will leave for Pittsburgh this Sunday, but the zoo will not be without lions this season–new lions will be summering at the Idaho Falls Zoo and should arrive soon.
The Idaho Falls Zoo at Tautphaus Park will open for the 2025 season on Thursday, April 24. For more information, you can visit the zoo website.
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