CLEVELAND (WJW) — An 18-year-old female African lion named Nala at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo has been euthanized due to her deteriorating health, the zoo announced Thursday on its Facebook page.

Nala came to the zoo in 2012, zoo officials said.

“Over the last few years, Nala’s age-related physical health issues have been closely monitored by the animal husbandry and veterinary teams. Recently, these health issues progressed past the point of medical management, impacting her mobility and well-being and Zoo veterinarians and staff made the difficult decision to euthanize her,” they wrote.

“At nearly 19 years old, she was the matriarch of the pride and ‘ruled the roost.’ She was an incredible ambassador to her species and will be tremendously missed.”