Oakland Zoo has three new orphaned mountain lion cubs.
The zoo said Wednesday on social media the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) brought the cubs to the zoo Sunday for rehabilitation and care.
The cubs were found in Portola Valley in San Mateo County.
The zoo said in a statement CDFW believes the cubs’ mother was the same female lion hit by a car on Portola Valley Road about 0.3 miles from where Fern, Thistle and Spruce were found.
The zoo said, while many people saw the lion after she was hit, the carcass has since disappeared and is still being investigated. So, CDFW can’t confirm a relationship between the kittens and female lion using DNA.
Portola Valley residents spotted the kittens wandering the neighborhood and they were later found hiding under a car.
CDFW monitored the area for any signs of the kittens’ mother over the past two weeks, using trail cameras and reports from local security cameras with the help of the Midpeninsula Open Space District.
There were no confirmed sightings of an adult female searching or calling for her cubs.
Due to their disoriented behavior, lack of a mother for two weeks and proximity to where the female was hit, CDFW decided to capture the kittens for evaluation
The cubs are named Fern (female), Thistle (male) and Spruce (male). All three are recovering at the zoo’s veterinary hospital.
Zoo staff thoroughly examined the cubs and provided treatments and bloodwork. They arrived at the zoo relatively healthy, but thin, after being without a mother and adult care for about two weeks. Veterinarians determined they are around three months old.
The zoo said the cubs can’t be re-released in the wild, as mountain lion cubs need about two years with their mother to learn survival skills. The zoo will eventually work with CDFW to find them a new forever home at an appropriate institution.
The zoo said mountain lions in California face many threats, including car strikes and wildfires. These factors contribute to human-wildlife conflict, increasing encounters as mountain lions encroach on urban areas and developments.
“As human development has significantly enhanced the wellbeing of our communities, it has simultaneously taken a toll on wildlife and their natural habitats,” said Nik Dehejia, CEO of Oakland Zoo, in a statement.
“As we continue to thrive as a species, it is essential for coexistence that we also take action to ensure the survival of others. Now more than ever, we must continually advocate for establishing wildlife corridors, such as the recent overpass in Los Angeles, to maintain the biodiversity of our golden state,” Dehejia said.
The cubs bring the total number of rescued mountain lions treated at the zoo to 30, in collaboration with CDFW.
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