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Phoenix Zoo welcomes new lionesses Zuri and Kamara

The lionesses will soon be celebrating their sixth birthday on Oct. 25.

PHOENIX — On Thursday, the Phoenix Zoo welcomed the two newest members of its family, lionesses Zuri and Kamara.

Zuri and Kamara are sisters and came to Phoenix all the way from the Pueblo Zoo in Colorado.

The Phoenix Zoo announced the arrival of the sisters in a Facebook post. It said they are still getting used to their new home.

Zuri and Kamara came to the zoo as part of the zoo’s Predator Passage program.

The girls will soon be celebrating their sixth birthday on Oct. 25, according to the Pueblo Zoo.

“We know the girls will love their new home, but they will also miss the snow, staff and their adoring fans,” the Pueblo Zoo said in a Facebook post.

The lionesses will eventually be introduced to the Phoenix Zoo’s bachelor lion, Boboo.

Our little girls are all grown up and ready to leave home and explore a new zoo. Zuri and Kamara, born Oct. 25, 2017,...

Posted by Pueblo Zoo on Monday, October 2, 2023

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How big is Maricopa County?:

Maricopa County is the United States’ 4th largest county in terms of population with 4,485,414 people, according to the 2020 Census.

The county contains around 63% of Arizona’s population and is 9,224 square miles. That makes the county larger than seven U.S. states (Rhode Island, Delaware, Connecticut, Hawaii, New Jersey, Massachusetts and New Hampshire).

One of the largest park systems in the nation is also located in Maricopa County. The county has an estimated 120,000 acres of open space parks that includes hundreds of miles of trails, nature centers and campgrounds.

The county’s seat is located in Phoenix, which is also the state capital and the census-designated 5th most populous city in the United States.

The county was named after the Maricopa, or Piipaash, Native American Tribe.

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