With key assistance from his brother via a blood transfusion, Kamaia, an ailing 14-year-old lion at the Franklin Park Zoo, underwent major, three-hour-long surgery on the facility’s grounds on June 9 as doctors removed his damaged spleen.

The day before, the zoo’s veterinary team collected blood from the brother, a littermate named Dinari, and used it to help his badly anemic sibling through what zoo officials deemed a rare procedure.

An exam earlier in the month showed that Kamaia was severely anemic with a greatly enlarged spleen. He had experienced serious health issues, including a bout with pneumonia, earlier in the spring. Doctors suspected that he had chronic underlying health issues, although comprehensive diagnostic tests had been inconclusive.

“Now that his spleen has been removed and he has received the blood transfusion, we are hopeful that he will be feeling better very soon. This was a major surgery, and we will continue to monitor him closely to ensure that he is comfortable and recovering well,” said Dr. Chris Bonar, Zoo New England Director of Animal Health.

“Blood transfusions are not often performed in zoological settings because it can be difficult to find a suitable donor,” Bonar said. “Because Kamaia and his brother were littermates, Dinari was the perfect donor for this much needed transfusion.”

Kamaia is expected to remain in his off-exhibit space for the next few weeks so that his care team can closely monitor him while he continues to recover.

The brothers have resided at the zoo since 2015.