Lion cub euthanized at Lincoln Park Zoo because of spinal condition: 'There are no words'

A 17-month-old lion cub at Lincoln Park Zoo was euthanized despite hopes from zoo staff that an unprecedented spinal surgery would bring relief.The cub, named Lomelok, was in January 2023 with two brothers, Pesho and Sidai. Almost immediately, veterinarians noticed abnormal movement and activity caused by a deformity in his lower spine. He was born with the condition.Lomelok was euthanized on Saturday, the zoo said.Throughout the first year of his life, Lomelok was closely monitored and diagnosed with a condition that causes the channels where nerves travel to narrow, affecting mobility specifically in his back legs. He underwent surgery to alleviate the issues in March and was introduced for the public in April. At the time, Lomelok’s veterinarian Dr. Kate Gustavsen and the zoo’s curator of mammals Cassy Kutilek were cautiously optimistic.Pilipili and Lomelok, right, lounge on the highest rock of their outdoor enclosure at Lincoln Park Zoo.Zubaer Khan/Sun-Times file“I love to see that as a doctor,” Gustavsen about Lomelok’s calm behavior on the first day of his reintroduction. “I want him to take it easy. None of this would have worked as well as it did if we didn’t trust him to know his limits.”The surgery, while common in large dogs and adult big cats, had yet to be done on a growing lion cub. His recovery was “slow and steady,” according to a new release from the zoo but as time went on, his progress wasn’t where it should have been.“However, after many weeks of progress, medical intervention and physical therapy, it was clear Lomelok was still not thriving as a young lion cub should,” zoo officials said.Lomelok, center, plays with his brothers in their outdoor enclosure at Lincoln Park Zoo.Zubaer Khan/Sun-Times fileLomelok recently had a gastrointestinal obstruction that would have required another intense surgery and a long recovery time, during which he couldn’t interact with his brothers. Rather than put him through that process, the zoo staff decided to put him down.“We have been overwhelmed by the support from the community for Lomelok throughout his health journey,” Kutilek said in the release. “Lomelok’s name means ‘sweet’ in the Maa language, and that was the best way to describe him. There are no words to articulate how deeply he will be missed.”