This robotic lion is proving that volts and wires can outshine roars and whiskers
Published on Aug 20, 2025 at 9:49 AM (UTC+4)
by Claire Reid
Last updated on Aug 20, 2025 at 10:03 AM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Kate Bain
A robotic lion dubbed Ion has joined a circus in Newquay in the UK, and can pull off some pretty impressive stunts.
The cute robo lion is the newest member of the team at Paolo’s Circus.
The circus said it took just under a year to develop the robotic lion.
And it has a pretty impressive list of skills, including jumping over fire.
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The robotic lion has ‘established himself as something of a daredevil’
Robotic technology has come a long way over the past couple of years.
Officials in China recently introduced a robot traffic cop, while Tesla says its humanoid Optimus bots will be able to perform a wide range of tasks and jobs.
Over at Paolo’s Circus in the UK, a robotic lion, known as Ion, has joined the ranks.
The four-legged robot looks a little like the robotic dogs you might have seen, but has a head designed to look like a lion, complete with a fluffy mane.
The use of wild animals, like lions, in travelling circuses is banned in the UK, following the introduction of the Wild Animals in Circuses Act 2019.
So Paulo’s Circus director Kennet Darnell came up with ‘the next best thing’ and got Ion the robot lion.
“It’s very difficult to do a circus now with something that somebody’s not seen,” Darnell told the BBC.
“And that’s why we bought the lion, because you’ve never seen that.”
The man has got a point.
Ion is able to perform a range of cool tricks, including walking on his front legs, jumping through hoops, and even leaping over fire.
However, circus performer Kenny Darnell Jr. told the BBC that Ion ‘has a complete mind of his own’ and now refuses to perform certain tricks, particularly ones involving heights.
Despite this, the circus told the outlet that he has ‘established himself as something of a daredevil’ and best of all, he doesn’t bite.
Robot lion not for you? How about a robot dog?
Ion might be the first robotic lion out there, but it’s not the first animal-like bot to be created.
There are several robotic dogs, including this record-breaking headless dog developed in China.
And a UK-developed robo-pooch that was built with AI robotics and adaptive tech so it can operate completely by itself without the need for human interaction.
The robot is designed to move more like an animal and is able to adapt its gait as needed in real time.
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Claire Reid is a journalist who hails from the UK but is now living in New Zealand. She began her career after graduating with a degree in Journalism from Liverpool John Moore’s University and has more than a decade of experience, writing for both local newspapers and national news sites. Claire covers a wide variety of topics, with a special focus on cars, technology, planes, cryptocurrency, and luxury.
