Emma

Born: 10th of October 1997 – 22 June 2020 RIP
Arrived at LLA Sanctuary: 10th of March 2017
Lived with: Amber
Tawny Female
Parents: Unknown

Emma, who we affectionately call “Em Bem”, had the biggest character we have ever come across in a lion. She was the queen of all the lions. Emma was born in 1997 and passed away in 2020 when she was 22-years-old. She was, at one point, one of the oldest lions in South Africa. She roared more than any of the lions at Love Lions Alive sanctuary and accounted for almost 90% of the roaring. It was as if she was the matriarch who led the charge and kept the other lions informed. Emma came to Love Lions Alive sanctuary from a zoo in Pretoria, South Africa. She first came into Love Lions Alive in 2014 but a very unfortunate incident kept her from moving with us to our current premises for 2 years. Emma was a hermaphrodite. She had both male and female characteristics but was classified female. Emma had internal testes instead of ovaries. The zoo vets removed her testes but she was really large for a female and dominant. Emma was researched and consequently spent much of her life prior to her rescue in the hospital section of the zoo. Here, due to stress, she chewed off the end of her tail. Emma came to the current Love Lions Alive sanctuary’s premises with her partner, Amber.

We are eternally grateful to have had the privilege of being a part of this majestic lion’s life. We will miss her every day for the rest of our lives.

RIP Queen of all Lions. May your roars resound across the heavens.