Nov 20, 2015

Leia, the lioness, finds a new home

Robert Hamilton 0 Comment Photo essays, The Baltimore Sun Cameron Park Zoological and Botanical Society, Jeff Bill, Kim Hairston, Leia, lioness, Maryland Zoo at Baltimore, Texas, Waco

24 Photos, 1 Video

Leia is a 2-year-and-six-week-old lioness born and raised at The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore. She is being moved to the Cameron Park Zoological and Botanical Society in Waco, Texas, where she can grow up in an unrelated pride and be a companion to a 3-year-old male

: November 19, 2015 – Erin Cantwell, giraffe house area manager at The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore holds and end of a poster that bids farewell to Leia, a two year and six week old lioness born at The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore. (Kim Hairston/Baltimore Sun)

: November 19, 2015 – Leia, a two year and six week old lion born at The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore, is being moved to the Cameron Park Zoological and Botanical Society in Waco, TX where she can grow up in an unrelated pride of a three-year-old male and a 17-year-old female. (Kim Hairston/Baltimore Sun)

: November 19, 2015 – Left to right, Erin Cantwell, giraffe house area manager, Carey Ricciardone, mammal collection manager, both with The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore, Johnny Binder, general curator for the Cameron Park Zoological and Botanical Society, and Paul Bradenburger, animal keeper at The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore, move a travel crate containing Leia, a two year and six week old lion born at The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore. (Kim Hairston/Baltimore Sun)

: November 19, 2015 – Leia, a two year and six week old lion born at The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore, puts a paw on a metal grate in the crate he is laying in. (Kim Hairston/Baltimore Sun)

: November 19, 2015 – A travel crate that holds Leia, a two year and six week old lioness born at The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore, is loaded onto a Cameron Park Zoological and Botanical Society van. (Kim Hairston/Baltimore Sun)

: November 19, 2015 – Leia, a two year and six week old lioness born at The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore, looks out from a crate on the back of a van. Leia is being moved to the Cameron Park Zoological and Botanical Society in Waco, TX where she can grow up in an unrelated pride of a three-year-old male and a 17-year-old female.. Kim Hairston/Baltimore Sun. 2492.

: November 19, 2015 – Johnny Binder, general curator for the Cameron Park Zoological and Botanical Society, starts the drive to Waco, Texas. He is leaving The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore, with Leia, a two year and six week old lioness who is in a travel crate in the back of the van. (Kim Hairston/Baltimore Sun)

: Born on October 4 2013, 5-day old lions Luke (left) and Leia (right) are photographed behind the scenes off exhibit at The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore. (Photo by Jeffrey F. Bill)

: October 09, 2013 – At 20 days old, Leia is able to open her eyes. She is photographed behind the scenes off exhibit at The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore. (Photo by Jeffrey F. Bill)

: Novemver 07, 2013 – Now 5-week old, Leia’s growing teeth are displayed as she “meows.” She is photographed behind the scenes off exhibit at The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore. (Photo by Jeffrey F. Bill)

: November 07, 2013 – Maryland Zoo’s Timm Baldwinn videotapes 5-week-old lion cub Leia during an behind the scenes visit. (Photo by Jeffrey F. Bill)

: November 07, 2013 – Maryland Zoo’s Carey Ricciardone spends a little play-time w/ 5-week-old Leia. (Photo by Jeffrey F. Bill)

: December 04, 2013 – Maryland Zoo’s Carey Ricciardone with Leia (left) and Erin Cantwell with Luke (right) carry the 2-month-old lions back to their den after exploring the lion exhibit yard. (Photo by Jeffrey F. Bill)

: December 04, 2013 – 2-month-old Leia (right) explores the lion exhibit yard out doors for one of the first times with her brother Luke (left). (Photo by Jeffrey F. Bill)

: December 04, 2013 – At 2 months old, Leia displays her sharp claws as she chews on a stick while exploring the lion yard at the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore. (Photo by Jeffrey F. Bill)

: February 22, 2014 – At nearly 5-months old, Leia (left) and her brother Luke (right) are are photographed on public exhibit for the 1st time at The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore. (Photo by Jeffrey F. Bill)

: February 23, 2014 – Leia (center) stalks her “siblings” Zuri (left) and Luke (right.) The lion cubs were photographed on their second day on public exhibit. (Photo by Jeffrey F. Bill)

: March 15, 2014 – 5-month-old Leia notices then begins to is stalk the photographer while on public display at the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore. (Photo by Jeffrey F. Bill)

: December 20 , 2014 – 14-month-old, Leia (far right) and the rest of the pride, have an afternoon nap on exhibit at the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore. (L to R) Hassan, Luke, Zuri, and Leia. (Photos by Jeffrey F. Bill)

: July 26, 2015 – Nearly 10-months old, Leia looks behind her as she sits on a rock at the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore. (Photo by Jeffrey F. Bill)

: July 26, 2015 – Nearly 10-months old, Leia watches a giraffe (not pictured) in the giraffe yard while perched a rock at the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore. (Photo by Jeffrey F. Bill)

: November 07, 2015 – A snarl from two-year-old Leia as she looks towards the giraffe yard on one of her final days at the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore. (Photos by Jeffrey F. Bill)

: November 07, 2015 – On one of her final days at the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore, two-year-old Leia, checks out visitors at one of the windows at the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore. Photo by Jeffrey F. Bill

: Leia will be joining a new pride in Waco, Texas at the Cameron Park Zoo. Photographed is Kaikane, who will be Leia’s companion. (Sheri Hemrick, Cameron Park Zoological and Botanical Society)

The travel crate was sent from Cameron Park and placed inside the Lion’s Den at the Maryland Zoo. Over the course of a week, Paul Bradenburger, an animal keeper, trained her to walk into it by placing her morning meal inside.

Thursday morning, the 278-pound African lion was secured inside and wheeled to a Cameron Park van. She watched as the Maryland keepers and managers who raised and cared for her said their goodbyes. The doors were closed on the brightly painted van and Leia began a road trip to her new home.

In addition to showing her new adventure, the Darkroom also takes a look back at Leia’s formative years at the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore.

Leia, the lioness, finds a new home

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