Marshall the massive African lion no longer roars at Moncton's Magnetic Hill Zoo, but staff are hoping to replace the 21-year-old cat with two cubs in the next month.

Bruce Dougan, the Moncton zoo's manager, said Marshall had to be put down in late January because of advancing kidney problems that were triggering health complications over the last few months.

Just shy of his 22nd birthday, Marshall was likely Canada's oldest lion in captivity, Dougan said. When he was examined by a veterinarian, Dougan said his age was showing, and Marshall was compared to a 90-year-old man.

"In late January, we decided his kidneys were failing to the point where ... it wasn't going to be humane to let him continue on," he said. "So we euthanized him at the end of January and we've made arrangements for two new lions to come in next month to go in the exhibit with the female that he left behind."

2 cubs on the way

So as zoo staff members grieve Marshall's loss, they're looking forward to welcoming some new friends to join Keto, the zoo's 10-year-old female lion.

"These two that are coming in here will be 10 months old; they'll be full of life and want to play all the time and that sort of thing, and I'm sure she'll enjoy that very much. She'll enjoy the companionship and she'll enjoy the play," Dougan said.

The three lions will be given some time to get to know each other before they become permanent companions.

An African lion is found naturally in central to southern Africa and weighs upwards of 250 kilograms. In the wild, these large cats will live about 15 years, while in captivity their lifespan increases to 25 years.

The Moncton zoo also dealt with a loss in December, when two baboons froze to death after they were accidentally locked out of their shelter overnight.