Leo I Comes to UNA Brought to UNA by President Guillot
Leo I builds our tradition of having a live mascot on campus
Leo I passes away
Leo II comes to UNA
Leo II named "Second Best Mascot" by Sports Illustrated
Leo II carries on the proud tradition of live mascots at UNA
Leo II passes away
Learn MoreGeorge H. Carroll habitat built on UNA campus
Leo III and Una ("You-na") born in New Hampshire
Learn More Anne Howard begins caring for Leo III and Una and remains their primary caregiver.
Leo III and Una move into the George H. Carroll habitat
UNA is proud of our volunteers and fundraisers who make it possible for us to have the only live lion mascots in the United States currently living on campus.
Roar Lions!
Donate NowYour donation is needed to help care for Leo III and Una.
[/et_pb_code][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type="1_2" _builder_version="3.29.3" _i="1" _address="1.0.1"][et_pb_cta title="Friends of the Lions" button_url="http://leoanduna.com/give/" url_new_window="on" button_text="Give Now" _builder_version="3.29.3" header_text_color="#000000" body_text_color="#000000" background_color="#ffffff" _i="0" _address="1.0.1.0"]All of the funds for the care and feeding of Leo III, along with the operation and maintenance of Leo III’s habitat, comes from donations and sponsorships. [/et_pb_cta][et_pb_text _builder_version="3.29.3" text_text_color="#000000" _i="1" _address="1.0.1.1"]
Leo I
Leo was born April 14, 1973, in Knoxville, Tennessee. On July 22 of that year, University President Dr. Robert Guillot acquired Leo and brought him to UNA. Leo lived in the Guillot’s garage until the first habitat was completed on campus. After his arrival, Leo grew quickly from a shy 35-pound cub to nearly 500 pounds as an adult under the care of Dr. Phil Davis, his veterinarian.
Leo’s first real birthday party took place when he was two years old, and he enjoyed the attention he received that day. The party included two cakes made by Mrs. Guillot, a lion shaped cake for guests and a special meat cake for Leo.
April 14 is still celebrated each year as a birthday for our live mascots.[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version="3.29.3" text_text_color="#000000" header_text_color="#000000" _i="2" _address="1.0.1.2"]
Leo II
Leo II was born in early 1988 at a Texas safari ranch. He was originally named Moses and had a twin brother named Aaron. He came to UNA at five months old in July 1988. Leo II grew to more than 600 pounds.
He was named Second Best Mascot in America in the April 28, 1997, issue of Sports Illustrated. Leo II reigned over the 1993, 1994 and 1995 Division II National Football Championships.
He died at Auburn University March 2, 2000, while undergoing tests.[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version="3.29.3" text_text_color="#000000" header_text_color="#000000" _i="3" _address="1.0.1.3"]
Leo III and Una
Una and Leo III were born November 18, 2002, at a wildlife refuge in New Hampshire. They flew to UNA when they were just six weeks old in a Learjet donated by a UNA supporter. They weighed nine and 10 pounds, respectively, when they got here.
In 2012, Leo III and Una were ranked No. 1 of the 25 Best Real Animal Mascots in College Football by totalprosports.com. UNA was the only non-Division I institution to make the list, joining the company of competitive NCAA teams such as the Baylor Bears, LSU Tigers, and Texas Longhorns.
Today, Leo III weighs approximately 500 pounds. Una weighed approximately 300 pounds before she passed away in the summer of 2020. UNA and the Shoals community celebrate with a Lion Birthday party every year as close to April 14 as possible to commemorate the birthdate of our first UNA lion, Leo I.
Local veterinarians Dr. Randall Smith, Dr. Matt Connolly, Dr. Bill Connolly and Dr. Brandon Fisher are providing the finest medical care as a charitable contribution.[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version="3.29.3" text_text_color="#000000" _i="4" _address="1.0.1.4"]
The Howards – Our Lion Keepers
Anne and Dan Howard were the primary caretakers for Leo III and Una. In 2002, Dr. Howard took a group of UNA administrators to New Hampshire in order to bring the lions back to campus. Once he returned with Leo III and Una, Dr. and Mrs. Howard kept the lions at their house until they were large enough to move into the new habitat. Mrs. Howard loved to mention how she bottle fed them as babies.
(Hover, Tap, or Touch a Question to see the Answer!)
When were Leo III and Una born?
When were Leo III and Una born?
They were born November 18, 2002. We celebrate in April, because that is the birthday of Leo I, our first King of Lion Country.
Where were Leo III and Una born?
Where were Leo III and Una born?
They were born in the state of New Hampshire in a wildlife park, and lived with their mother, father and sister.
Are Leo III and Una related?
Are Leo III and Una related?
Yes, they are twins - brother and sister.
What does Leo III eat?
What does Leo III eat?
They eat raw meat, which looks like hamburger and contains special vitamins and minerals for carnivores (animals who eat meat). The lions also eat bones once a week.
How much do Leo III eat?
How much do Leo III eat?
Leo eats close to 7 pounds of meat a day, and Una eats close to 5 pounds a day.
What kind of lion is Leo III?
What kind of lion is Leo III?
They are African Nubian lions, who have a black mane. This breed of lion is the largest lion and second in size only to a Siberian Tiger. The lions with the darkest manes are the ones most likely to attract females. The largest lion ever recorded weighed 826 pounds. Typically, African male lions weigh 330 to 500 pounds, with females being smaller than males. In the wild, lions sleep close to 20 hours a day.
What is a male lion called?
What is a male lion called?
A male lion is simply called a lion. Female lions are referred to as lionesses, and young lions are cubs. A group of lions is called a pride. A pride is typically five or six lionesses, one to three male lions, and the lions' young offspring. Litters contain between one and six cubs, and most of the lionesses in a pride tend to give birth at the same time. Lionesses raise the cubs in a group, often nursing each other's cubs. Lionesses usually remain in the pride for life, while male lions must fight to earn a place in the pride, and continually ward off challengers to take their place. Single males that live alone are called nomads. Occasionally, a female becomes a nomad. Lion habitats, called territories, span more than 100 miles. One of the most famous habitats is in the Serengeti in Africa.
How do you tell if the lion is a male or female?
How do you tell if the lion is a male or female?
Lions are the only members of the cat family to show a difference in appearance between the male and female. Lionesses have a short coat of stiff, tan hair, and the male has a thick mane.
How do lions hunt?
How do lions hunt?
The lionesses (females) do most of the hunting while the male lions guard the territory and protect the pride from intruders. They hunt in groups at night, stalking and encircling prey until one of the hunters is close enough to pounce. Adult males eat first, while young cubs eat last. Lions have retractable claws in their front paws that help with hunting. A lion sinks the 1 ó inch claws into its prey to hold it in place for a swift kill. Being able to retract the claws allows the lion to sneak up silently on its prey, which is the most important part of the hunting strategy. They also retract their claws while playing with each other. The claws grow from the inside out, keeping them very sharp and strong as older layers peel off.
How do lions adapt to their habitat?
How do lions adapt to their habitat?
Lions have an acute sense of smell from an organ on the roof of their mouths, referred to as a Jacobson's organ. They can sniff out nearby prey and estimate the length of time the prey has been in the area. They have excellent hearing and can hear prey up to a mile away. Lions' vision is five times greater than human eyesight. They can see clearly at night. They also have loose belly skin, which helps guard them from harm when prey tries to injure them by kicking or stabbing them with their horns. Lions are covered in brown fur that blends in perfectly with the tall grass that dominates their habitat in the wild. To their prey, lions are virtually invisible in the grass; however, because lions are social animals and hunt in groups, it is important to them to be able to see each other. To allow this, lions have dark spots on the back of their ears, which stand out in the grass. Lions also communicate with each other through roars and purrs. They are the most vocal cat species.
Who is a lion's enemy?
Who is a lion's enemy?
The enemies of a lion include elephants, buffalo and the spotted hyena. Humans are also an enemy of the lion because some people hunt them for their skins and cattle ranchers kill them to keep the lions from attacking their herds.
How can I help Leo III and Una?
How can I help Leo III and Una?
You can click here to Donate Now or share our LionCam on social media to help us raise awareness.
![Leo II at water](http://leoanduna.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Leo-II-img115sized.jpg")
