Photo: Oakland Zoo
The Oakland Zoo has a wild new resident.
According to an April 12release from the zoo,the California facility is currently caring for an emaciated mountain lion cub found in critical condition in San Mateo.
Rose arrived at the zoo covered in fleas and ticks and weighing only 8.8 pounds, over 20 pounds shy of what a healthy female mountain lion her size should weigh.
“Based on her initial exam, it appears she hasn’t eaten in weeks. She is excruciatingly thin. To survive, her body resorted to consuming its own muscle mass. She is also suffering from extreme dehydration, and her temperature was so low it couldn’t even be read. But she survived her first night, which was critical. We can already tell she has a feisty spirit and an obvious will to live, and we’re thankful for that,” Dr. Alex Herman, the VP of veterinary services at the Oakland Zoo, said in a statement about Rose’s first days at the zoo.
Rose is also receiving fluids and hydration intravenously at the zoo and has several keepers helping her safely regain weight through bottle feedings and small meals. The cub’s positive reaction to treatment so far has the Oakland Zoo cautiously optimistic that the mountain lion will recover.
CDFW sharedthat mountain lion sightings are rare in California since the creatures are usually elusive. The wild cat doesn’t often pose a threat to humans, but individuals who fear a wild animal is in danger or a “public safety issue” should contact local law enforcement instead of attempting to intervene.
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Rose will not be releasable, even if her recovery goes well, the Oakland zoo shared. In the wild, mountain lion cubs stay with their mothers for up to two years, learning how to hunt and survive. Without these skills, the cub cannot survive on their own.
The Oakland Zoo and CDFW will work together to find Rose a good home when the time is right, likely at another Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) accredited zoo.
This is the eighteenth orphaned mountain lion cub Oakland Zoo rehabilitated with help from CDFW since 2017. Three of the felines, Coloma, Toro, and Silverado, stayed at the Oakland Zoo after their recovery and can be seen at the zoo’s California Trail section.
source: people.com
