Mandela the Lion Undergoes Treatment for an Infected Tooth at Perth Zoo
One of Perth Zoo’s favourite residents has paid a visit to the dentist. Mandela was taken out of his enclosure on Wednesday and relocated so he could receive treatment for an infected tooth.
The 13 year old male lion had not shown any signs of discomfort, but a routine dental check-up flagged up an infected tooth and some fractured teeth. On Wednesday 24th February, Mandela had one tooth extracted and he will need further treatment in the coming weeks. For the time being, Mandela is recovering and he has been given antibiotics to clear up the infection.
During the procedure, Mandela was cared for by a team of vets and veterinary nurses. It took eight people to lift the gentle giant, who weighs in at 185 kilograms.
Afterwards, Mandela was taken to a private enclosure to rest before his reunion with his brother Nelson and lioness Shinyanga.
Leonie Perovic, one of the lion’s keepers, said the others had clearly been wondering what the team was up to and no doubt were looking forward to seeing Mandela again.
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