Lion Pride
About the Pride
Our lion pride lives in a specially designed enclosure that brings you close without putting you at risk, one of the few places in New Zealand where you can watch African lions fed in person.
African lions were first introduced to Paradise Valley in the 1970s. The founding members of our current pride were retired circus lions, born in Australia. We’ve bred lions here for over 30 years, and every lion in the pride today was born at Paradise.
Lions aren’t native to New Zealand, so the lion park sits in its own separate area, about a two-minute walk from reception.
Meet the Pride
Lions live in family groups and can hold the same territory for generations. Every lion here has its own personality, right down to individual food preferences.
Feeding & Viewing Info
Our lions are fed daily at 2.30pm, rain or shine, by our keepers. Feeding lasts 15 to 20 minutes and is the best time to see the pride active, lions can sleep up to 20 hours a day, so this is when they wake up and get moving.
Our keepers share a bit about each lion while it happens, from a safe viewing area. There’s no fence contact or hand-feeding involved. Get there a few minutes early for a good spot.
