Orphaned Cougar Cubs at Oakland Zoo

These cougar cubs were brought to Oakland Zoo for care after their mother had been struck by a car. Photo by Oakland Zoo.

Oakland Zoo in California is currently caring for three orphaned cougar (or mountain lion) cubs.  The cubs were rescued by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) after it was determined that the cubs’ mother had been hit by a car.

Residents in Portola Valley, California spotted the cubs wandering around their neighborhood. CDFW used trail cameras and local security cameras to monitor the area and ensure that their mother was the one who had been struck by a car two weeks prior.

The cubs arrived at Oakland Zoo thin, but otherwise healthy, after living without their mother for two weeks. Photo by Oakland Zoo.

The three mountain lion cubs are now named Fern (female), Thistle (male), and Spruce (male). They are three months old, and when they arrived at the zoo, they were thin but otherwise healthy.

Photo by Oakland Zoo.

Veterinary staff at Oakland Zoo conducted exams on the three cubs. Photo by Oakland Zoo.

The cubs will not be able to be released back to the wild because normally cubs spend two years with their mother learning survival and hunting skills. They will instead be placed in an appropriate institution after their rehabilitation at Oakland Zoo.

This rescue marks the 30th mountain lion rescue for Oakland Zoo.

To learn more about the rescued cubs, visit the Oakland Zoo website.

For more information about cougars, see our article, Cougar.