Awwww! Orphan mountain lion cubs coming to Columbus Zoo
Three orphaned mountain lion clubs rescued from the devastating wildfires in northern California will soon find a new home at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium.
The group includes Captain Cal, a cub whose recovery story has drawn national attention. He was named by the California firefighters who found him severely burned and limping down a burned-out road in Redding in late September. He suffered serious injuries to the pads of his paws, which made him unable to walk.
A team at the Oakland Zoo’s veterinary hospital rehabilitated him with around-the-clock care, including surgery, antibiotics, fluids, pain medication, hand feeding and daily bandage changes. He is now fully recovered.
Captain Cal and two female cubs, who joined him in late October in Oakland, will arrive in Columbus within the next few weeks.
The female cubs aren’t named yet, but the Columbus Zoo will choose names soon. They were rescued in August but did not suffer burns.
The cubs, who were just a few weeks old when rescued, will travel together on a flight from Oakland to Indianapolis with staff from both zoos, who will then drive the trio to Columbus.
They will live in the zoo’s North American region.
“Even with the cubs’ tragic beginning, their story is actually one of survival and hope,” said Columbus Zoo and Aquarium President and CEO Tom Stalf. “We are proud to work with our friends at Oakland Zoo, whose expertise has given these cubs another chance.”
The Columbus Zoo was selected due to its previous experience in taking in other rescued North American animals, including bears, moose and mountain lions, according to a news release. The move will help free up space for Oakland Zoo to take in more animals rescued from wildfires, if needed.
Because they were orphaned at such a young age, the cubs cannot be released. In the wild, baby mountain lions stay with their mothers until they’re about two years old to learn essential survival skills.
The goal is to introduce them to Jessie, the zoo’s 17-year-old female mountain lion, who has lived alone since her brother, Billy, was euthanized earlier this year.
Though mountain lions – also called pumas – are typically solitary, recent research suggests they are more social than previously assumed, the zoo’s update said.
The median life span for mountain lions in captivity is 16 years old, according to the Association of Zoos and Aquarium, a nonprofit group of more than 230 accredited members in the United States and abroad, including the Columbus Zoo.
While Jessie has gone nearly blind in her older age, she is in good overall health and was very close to her brother, the zoo said.
Mountain lions face numerous threats in addition to wildfires, including being struck by cars and illegally poached. awidmanneese@dispatch.com @Alissawidman