An Animal We Love

Move over LeBron James, there's a new king in town. Doc, a 2-year-old African lion from Texas' Caldwell Zoo, joined Cleveland Metroparks Zoo's pride — 12-year-old Nala and 11-year-old Serena — in January. The 350-pound big cat fills the paw prints of 17-year-old Mufasa, who died in April 2015. And while Doc's mane is just a scruff of fur right now —male lions usually have their full regal beards by 5 years old — he's already eating like royalty. He consumes close to 7 pounds of horse meat a day (and a bone thrown in for some added calcium). "It's going to be really cool to watch Doc grow up and become this majestic animal," says the zoo's executive director Chris Kuhar. 3900 Wildlife Way, Cleveland, 216-661-6500, clevelandmetroparks.com/zoo