Big team needed for Perth lion dental work

When the king of Perth Zoo was gingerly removed from his enclosure, the rest of his pride were understandably concerned, unaware the majestic beast was about to undergo a trip to the dentist.

Mandela the African lion wasn't showing any signs of pain but during an annual check-up, it was discovered the big cat had a dental infection and some broken teeth.

The 13-year-old had one tooth extracted on Wednesday, will eventually need another one taken out and is being given antibiotics for his abscess.

It took eight people to lift the 185kg feline, who was cared for by three veterinarians, two veterinary nurses and a dental veterinary consultant.

Mandela will recover in his night quarters under the watch of his keepers before being reunited with his brother Nelson and lioness Shinyanga.

"She was definitely keeping an eye on us - they're quite protective of their boss," zookeeper Leonie Perovic said.

"They were wondering what we were up to but obviously it's all in his best interests."

Ms Perovic said Nelson provided back-up to Mandela in his role as the leader and was also fully aware Shinyanga was his brother's girlfriend.

"So everybody's happy."

The life expectancy for African lions in the wild is 10 to 14 years, but in zoos, they can live for 30 years due to the high-quality diet and veterinary care.

They are a vulnerable species with fewer than 34,000 individuals remaining.