Oldest lion at Little Rock Zoo dies at 20

LITTLE ROCK—The Little Rock Zoo says its oldest lion has died.

The zoo said Jan. 10 that preliminary necropsy results show that the 20-year-old lion named Nyla died of liver cancer. Zoo spokeswoman Susan Altrui says Nyla died either late Jan. 8 night or early Jan. 9. A keeper found her dead in the morning Jan. 9.

Nyla has been living at the zoo since 2000, when she and another female lion named Sydney were donated to the Little Rock Zoo by the Dickerson Park Zoo in Missouri.

Zoo staffers say Nyla liked playing with her toys and batting around a large ball in her yard.