City of Monroe, LA

Louisiana Purchase Gardens & Zoo Director Joe Clawson issues the following statement, “We are sad to report that Basha the lioness, who has been a star at the Louisiana Purchase Gardens and Zoo for twenty years, has passed away. The exact cause of death will be determined in a necropsy. Basha was 22-years-old and she was born and raised in captivity. The typical lifespan for a lioness in captivity is 16 to 20 years. The zoo will begin an immediate search to find a new companion for our male lion Rocco.”