AKRON, Ohio – Tamarr, the elderly male lion at the Akron Zoo, has died.

Zoo officials said Tamarr’s health declined, leading to the difficult decision to humanely euthanize him. In July, test results indicated the progression of chronic kidney disease, common in elderly cat species.

Tamarr was 20. He was the second oldest male lion in a zoo accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, according to Akron Zoo officials. Median life expectancy for lions is 16 years, 9 months.

Tamarr was born Aug. 25, 2005, at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado. He moved to Akron in 2007.

Doug Piekarz, president and chief executive at the Akron Zoo, said in the release Tamarr will be missed.

“I remember when Tamarr first arrived at the Akron Zoo with just a mohawk. He grew into an amazing lion who

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