Oakland Zoo rescues 3 mountain lion cubs orphaned on the Peninsula
Three young mountain lion cubs that were found orphaned in San Mateo County are being treated at the Oakland Zoo after being rescued by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW).
According to a zoo statement, two male cubs and one female cub were brought to Oakland on Sunday after they were found in the community of Portola Valley earlier this month. The male cubs have since been named "Thistle" and "Spruce", while the female cub has been named "Fern."
CDFW officials believe their mother was struck by a driver on Portola Valley Road about three-tenths of a mile from where Fern, Spruce and Thistle were found. While there were many witnesses of the mountain lion after it was hit, the carcass has since disappeared, and officials have not been able to confirm the kittens' relationship to the adult using DNA.
Following the collision, the cubs were found wandering in a Portola Valley neighborhood and were later found hiding under a car, the zoo said. Wildlife officials then monitored the area for signs of a mother searching for her cubs but there were no sightings.
"Due to their disoriented behavior, lack of a mother for two weeks, and proximity to where the adult female was hit, CDFW decided to capture the kittens for evaluation with help from the Midpeninsula Open Space District," the zoo said.
After arriving at the zoo's veterinary hospital, an examination determined the cubs were "relatively healthy" but thin. Fern, Spruce and Thistle are believed to be around three months old.
As of Wednesday, the cubs continue to be treated at the veterinary hospital. The zoo said the trio are unable to return to the wild, since cubs need about two years with their mother to learn survival skills.
Fern, Spruce and Thistle will not remain at the zoo, officials said. The zoo will work with CDFW to find a permanent home for the cubs at an "appropriate institution."
The zoo said they have conducted at least 30 mountain lion rescues as part of the Bay Area Cougar Action Team (BACAT), a partnership between CDFW, mountain lion researchers, local parks and nonprofits.