The Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium‘s four-month-old African lion cub has a name and a public debut. She is Kiazi, and as of August 10, 2026 she is out in the outdoor lion habitat in the zoo’s African Savanna, where guests can find her.
Why Kiazi
Kiazi is the Swahili word for “potato,” which is a joke with a pedigree. Her father, Hondo, came to Pittsburgh from the Idaho Falls Zoo.
“Since she is Hondo’s first offspring and he is from Idaho, keepers loved the name,” said Karen Vacco, assistant curator of mammals. “Hondo’s little Idaho potato!”
The name came out of a public campaign that drew 1,141 submissions and raised $5,705 for Kiazi, the zoo’s lions and the rest of the animals in its care.
Four months behind the scenes
Kiazi was born on April 5, 2026, to first-time parents Hondo and Scarlett, both nine years old. She has spent the months since growing and getting to know the rest of the pride out of public view, which is the standard approach with a cub: the introductions to the adults come first, the habitat comes second, and the audience comes last.
Her keepers describe a rambunctious personality that has been surfacing more each day. That energy now has a much larger stage in the African Savanna habitat.
Can guests see her?
Yes, from August 10 onward, with the usual caveat that applies to every young animal in every zoo: Kiazi explores her habitat on her own schedule. Some visits will get you a cub tearing around a savanna yard, and some will get you a cub asleep behind a log. Both are worth showing a child.
Lion habitat has been a busy line item across the industry this year, from Abilene Zoo’s new lion yard to Busch Gardens Tampa’s Lion and Hyena Ridge.
Lions, and what a single cub means
African lions are classified as vulnerable, and their numbers have fallen by 50 percent over the past 25 years because of habitat loss, loss of prey and conflict with people. They range across parts of sub-Saharan Africa in forest, shrubland and grassland.
The species is managed through the AZA Species Survival Plan, which keeps the population in accredited zoos healthy and genetically diverse. “Every lion cub birth is vital to the long-term survival of the species, and each one represents hope for the future,” Vacco said. “We hope Kiazi inspires Zoo guests to learn more about lions and protect them in the wild.”
Quick answers
- Who is Kiazi?
An African lion cub born April 5, 2026 at the Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium to first-time parents Hondo and Scarlett, both nine years old. She made her public debut in the outdoor lion habitat in the African Savanna on August 10, 2026.
- What does her name mean?
Kiazi is the Swahili word for potato. Her father Hondo came to Pittsburgh from the Idaho Falls Zoo, and she is his first offspring, so keepers landed on Hondo's little Idaho potato. The name came out of a public campaign that drew 1,141 submissions and raised $5,705.
- Why did it take four months for her to appear?
That is the standard approach with a cub. Introductions to the adults come first, the habitat comes second, and the audience comes last.
