Adorable Orphaned Mountain Lion Cub Finds New Home in Oakland After Dramatic Rescue!
A tiny mountain lion cub has captured hearts after being rescued and given a second chance at life at the Oakland Zoo. 🌐 #News #OaklandCA #California #WildlifeRescue
OAKLAND, CA – California’s Oakland Zoo has taken in an orphaned mountain lion cub after efforts to locate its mother were unsuccessful, officials said.
The male cub, estimated to be four to five weeks old, was found alone and apparently abandoned by a resident in El Dorado County on Thursday.
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife responded to the scene and set up camera traps to monitor the area for any sign of the cub’s mother over the weekend, but found none.
The cub was transferred to the care of the Oakland Zoo on Monday, where his care team named him Briar, “inspired by the spots on his fur resembling a blackberry bush,” the zoo said.
The zoo’s veterinary team examined Briar, and “fortunately, the cub shows no signs of major health problems,” the zoo said.
The zoo will continue to care for Briar until a permanent home can be found, likely at another facility.
Due to Briar’s young age, he will not be able to return to the wild. Mountain lion cubs typically remain with their mother for more than a year before they can survive on their own.
Briar is the 27th rescued mountain lion cared for by the Oakland Zoo. The zoo says human development increasingly cuts into and fragments mountain lion habitat, and the animals require “large territories to succeed.”
Written by TMX staff, with additional reporting by Jack and Kitty Norton. Editor’s note: Photos used for illustrative purposes only and do not depict the actual subject.
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