Brookfield Zoo’s new pride and joy

After a three-month absence, lions have returned to Brookfield Zoo.

But you’ll have to take the zoo’s word for it because, due to the coronavirus, the zoo is temporarily closed. Actually, you can get a sneak peak at Brutus and Titus — 4-year-old male siblings that arrived from Hogle Zoo in Utah on March 17 — at 11 a.m. Thursday during a live chat on the zoo’s Facebook page.

“Before we had to close the zoo, guests were inquiring as to when we would be getting lions again following the devastating loss of our previous pair,” Bill Zeigler, senior vice president of animal programs, said in a statement. “We wanted to share some happy news during this trying time and are looking forward to when guests can visit the zoo to see Brutus and Titus.”

The zoo had been without its two lions since Jan. 2, when Zenda, a male, was euthanized due to age-related health issues. Isis, the zoo’s only other lion, was found Jan. 13 lying on the floor of the moat in the lion habitat. Zoo officials have said Isis, also euthanized, was likely injured during a fall.

Lincoln Park Zoo’s three lions were sent off to Rolling Hills Zoo in Kansas last spring in anticipation of the new lion house in the $40 million Pepper Family Wildlife Center, which is expected to take at least another 18 months to complete.