- Zookeepers are scratching their heads after a lioness started to grow a mane
- Staff at Adelaide Zoo noticed the extra hair on 16-year-old lioness named Yizi
- Staff feared the mane might be a result of higher-than-normal testosterone level
- Veterinarians believed the elevated testosterone levels could point to a tumor
Zookeepers are scratching their heads after one of their star attractions, a lioness named Yizi, started to grow a mane.
Staff at Adelaide Zoo in South Australia began to notice the 16-year-old lioness was growing hair around her neck area, which was uncommon in a female lion.
The 16-year-old African lioness was examined from tooth to tail and sent for a CAT scan on Tuesday, as staff feared the mane may be a result of higher-than-normal testosterone levels.
Zookeepers are scratching their heads after one of their star attractions, a lionesses named Yizi (pictured), started to grow a mane
Veterinarians believed the elevated testosterone levels could point to a tumor.
The lioness was examined, with vets taking several samples to identify the cause of the new mane.
‘We had a good look at her teeth, her eyes, her ears, all her claws. We’ve got blood samples to look into her hormones, specifically testosterone,’ Dr David McLelland told Nine News in July.
The zoo will have her test results in a couple of days – after which the zoo said it could treat the animal and get her back on her feet.
‘Depending on what we find there, and based on our findings today, there’s every chance we’ll get hands back on her to do another procedure to remove any potential mass that could be causing those problems,’ Dr McLelland said.
Staff at Adelaide Zoo in South Australia began to notice the 16-year-old lioness was growing hair around her neck area, which was uncommon in a female lion
The zoo will have her test results in a couple of days – after which the zoo said it could treat the animal and get her back on her feet.