Special committee shares report on live lion mascots at UNA

FLORENCE – Will there be a Leo IV at the University of North Alabama?

The answer may come in a couple years.

As a result of findings from the Special Committee on Live Lions, the university said it will conduct a study to see if there is interest to return live lion mascots to UNA.

The committee shared its findings with President Ken Kitts, who accepted the recommendations after a year-long process, the university announced today.

“The members of the Special Committee on Live Lions did excellent work on behalf of the  university, and I am grateful for the insights they provided,” said Kitts. “These individuals  thoroughly studied the process of returning live lions to campus, and the group’s findings have been shared with the appropriate committee of our Board of Trustees.

“With that, Vice President Kevin Haslam and his team in Advancement will work over the next two years to determine if donor interest in this project is significant enough to help bring the committee’s vision to life.” 

The special committee was convened at Kitts’ request last August after the death of Leo III, who died in April 2024. The group studied the viability of returning live lions to the UNA campus, including surveying more than 12,000 stakeholders, speaking with animal experts, and visiting other habitats as part of their process.

The members reported that the live lion tradition is important on the UNA campus and, therefore, it has suggested a continuation of that tradition. The recommendation comes with an important caveat, however, which is that live lions be reintroduced only in continued alignment with the national standards established by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. 

The current lion facility, the George H. Carroll Lion Habitat, would need to be doubled in size to meet new AZA standards. Making those updates, along with hiring a trained professional to oversee the care crew, would cost between $5 million and $7 million. The work of the committee also included an extensive survey of on- and off-campus stakeholders to determine if there was a desire to see a return of live lions to UNA. 

This fall, the old fencing at the habitat will be removed to create a green space for the campus and community to enjoy with the option of using it for an expanded habitat.

The live lion tradition began at UNA in 1973, with Leo I. Leo II was brought to campus in 1988 and died in 2000. Leo III and Una, who died in 2020, arrived in 2003.