Mountain Lion Cubs at the San Diego Zoo

Rescued babies enjoying some tasty noms

Today’s header gif cuties are a trio of mountain lion cubs at the San Diego zoo. The little ones lost their mother, so the zoo is taking on the responsibility of caring for them. Due to their age—estimated at about 6 weeks old when initially found—and their dependence on human intervention, the youngsters will not be able to return to the wild, but I know the zoo will take good care of them and let them thrive in an environment as close to their natural one as possible. But right now, they are hungry! Look at those messy little faces.

The cubs were found by a search party made up of members from the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, UC Davis Wildlife Heatlh Center and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife using GPS data from their mother’s collar. Two cubs were found the first day after the search was initiated, one hiding in a hole and the other wedged between rocks. A third was found three days later, hiding in bushes. Due to their young age, it is doubtful that they would have lasted very long on their own. The cubs were suffering from dehydration and treated at the zoo’s veterinary facilities, where they have made a full recovery.

One of the rescued cubs, hiding in rocks, recoverd by a search group November 2023. Photo from UC Davis website by Charlie de la Rosa, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance.

UC Davis: "Three Orphaned Mountain Lion Cubs Rescued in San Diego" by Emily Senninger, 12/13/23

San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance: News Release, "Three Orphaned Mountain Lion Cubs Rescued in San Diego"

7 San Diego, NBC: "San Diego Zoo Safari Park welcomes 3 rescued, orphaned mountain lion cubs" by Danielle Smith, 12/14/23