COLUMBIA, S.C. — Riverbanks Zoo is saying goodbye to some animals while saying hello to others as part of the zoo’s ongoing efforts in conservation and education, and dedication to wildlife care.
The goodbyes:
Huntington, a juvenile green sea turtle, was successfully released into an inlet along the South Carolina coast on October 20, 2025, not too far from where he was hatched. Green sea turtles are considered vulnerable and as part of the ongoing sea turtle conservation program partnership with Riverbanks, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR), South Carolina State Parks, and South Carolina United Turtle Enthusiasts (SCUTE), Huntington was raised at Riverbanks to a sustainable size before his return to the wild. The program improves survival rates and supports healthy turtle populations — and Huntington serves as an Educational Ambassador for all green sea turtles.
Huntington is the latest in a line of hatchlings raised at Riverbanks. Scute, Journey and Destiny are turtle hatchlings that have gone before and Riverbanks expects to receive a new green sea turtle hatchling in the next month. After being allowed to acclimate and grow behind the scenes through the winter months, the new green sea turtle is expected to make its public debut in Spring 2026 at the Darnell W and Susan F Boyd Aquarium & Reptile Conservation Center.
Thabisa and Lindelani, the lion sisters who have been at Riverbanks since 2017 departed Riverbanks on November 4, 2025, to start a new chapter at another AZA-accredited organization. The pair have played an essential part in the African Lion Species Survival Plan, each raising cubs that have been relocated to accredited zoos nationwide.
The hellos:
Although the females lions are gone, there’s no reason to worry. Riverbanks will be welcoming two new male lions in early December from another AZA-accredited facility, in partnership with the Lion Species Survival Plan. The new lions mark the start of building a new pride in the zoo’s forthcoming state-of-the-art lion habitat, part of the Bridge to the West campus expansion. There are future plans for introducing female lions to support the Species Survival Plan’s breeding efforts, strengthen conservation efforts, and provide guests with meaningful new experiences…