The Columbus Zoo’s lion habitat was supposed to keep incompatible animals safely apart overnight. Instead, a barrier failed, four lions ended up together, and Asali — a healthy adult lioness cherished by visitors — suffered a devastating bite wound and was euthanized.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture later cited the zoo after a June inspection tied the fatal outcome to a broken door in April, with staff acknowledging Roary, the male, and Asali should never have been in the same space. These facts were confirmed in coverage of the federal report by 10TV.
A door failed at the Columbus Zoo, letting four lions into the same space.
A Preventable Breach Inside a Locked Night
According to the USDA inspection, the sliding panel separating the enclosures failed overnight, allowing all four lions to mingle. By morning, Roary had minor injuries and recovered; Asali did not. The agency marked the zoo “noncompliant” and required prompt fixes, a timeline the zoo met after reinforcing its doors, WOSU reports.
What, precisely, broke? The zoo says the doors were thick HDPE — common in large-carnivore facilities — but, according to 10TV. the built-in window likely created a weak point that “gave way” at night.
Male lion Roary attacked female lion Asali during the breach.
The Official Explanation — And What It Leaves Out
The zoo’s public stance calls for an internal review, rapid repairs, and sharing lessons with peer institutions. It also insists staff checked and locked doors daily, 10TV reports.
Yet the same narrative minimizes human accountability. The zoo maintained it was “not human error,” a line relayed in broader coverage of community reaction and transparency concerns by Yahoo News.
Public Money, Private Answers
Columbus residents help fund the zoo through a levy. With taxpayer support approaching $18.9 million annually and the facility situated on public land, the episode stirred a sharper question: what should the public be allowed to know after an animal dies? Locals learned that the zoo turned down a reporter’s request for records on recent animal deaths, citing its nonprofit status — even as it benefits from public resources. According to Yahoo News, those transparency flashpoints, and criticism from open-government advocates have put added pressure on the zoo to take action.
Aftermath and Accountability
Following the citation, the zoo says it replaced similarly designed doors and audited other large-carnivore and primate enclosures. It highlighted earlier successful inspections by USDA and zoo-accrediting bodies, seeking to reassure the public about overall standards, NBC4 reports.
Still, for many, assurances ring hollow without sunlight on critical records after a beloved animal’s death. The federal report established the mechanical failure; the community expects the full story. Calls for openness grew as residents weighed the loss of Asali against the zoo’s privileged position in public life.
Why Transparency Matters
Strong doors are essential. So are strong disclosures. While mechanical fixes can reduce risk; public candor restores trust. Asali’s death revealed a weakness in a single panel and in the information pipeline that followed. The first has been reinforced, multiple outlets report; the second remains the community’s unfinished work — one that begins with clear answers when animals in human care pay the highest price.
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