Monarto Safari Park has roared into action to celebrate World Lion Day, with its 15-strong pride of African Lions enjoying a day of colourful enrichment designed to encourage natural play behaviours.

Carnivore Keeper, Lisa, said the day is about both fun for the lions and awareness for their wild counterparts.

“Here at Monarto Safari Park, every day is a great day to talk about lions, but today is extra special,” Lisa said. “Our lions had a ball with streamers and boxes – it’s not always about food enrichment. This kind of play lets all their different personalities shine as they explore and interact with each other.”

While the pride enjoyed the festivities in their 11-hectare habitat, keepers highlighted the stark reality facing wild lions. Populations are estimated to have dropped to as few as 20,000 individuals across Africa, and without intervention, the species could disappear from the wild by 2050.

As part of its ongoing commitment to carnivore conservation, Zoos SA supports the Zambian Carnivore Program, which protects lions and other predators across more than 50 million hectares of forest in Zambia.

“The work we do here at Zoos SA is about more than caring for our lions – it’s about securing a future for their species,” Lisa said. “By speaking up with pride and supporting programs like this, our community can be a voice for lions and the ecosystems they protect.”

Visitors to Monarto Safari Park can see the pride of 15 lions in action daily and learn how Zoos SA is working to save species from extinction.