Overview
- The zoo selected the name Kiazi, which means potato in Swahili, from 1,141 public entries in a $5-per-entry contest that raised $5,705 for the institution.
- The cub was born to first-time parents Hondo and Scarlett in April and spent several months behind the scenes before being placed on public exhibit as she matured.
- Zoo staff say Kiazi is healthy and will remain at Pittsburgh for a few years before moving to another accredited zoo to begin breeding as part of coordinated species management.
- Keepers said the name reflects the cub’s early appearance and her father’s Idaho origins, and the reveal was paired with public programming to engage visitors.
- The zoo framed the birth as a local milestone that also supports broader conservation goals for African lions, which are considered vulnerable after major population declines and are managed in an AZA Species Survival Plan.