Orphaned injured baby mountain lion rescued and will be raised at California zoo – UK Times

An orphaned baby mountain lion with an injured foot has been rescued and will be raised at the Oakland Zoo in California.

The three-week-old male cub, now named Crimson, was rescued in Southern California last week after his mother abandoned him. Crimson was found alone and “vocalizing frequently,” which is unusual, the Oakland Zoo said in a recent news release.

The National Park Service visited the cub’s den multiple times and monitored him through a GPS collar and cameras.

Crimson had lost 10 percent of his body weight after several days, prompting officials from the National Park Service and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to remove him from the wild for rehabilitation.

Crimson was taken to the Los Angeles Zoo’s veterinary team for an exam, where he was found to be missing the toes on one of his feet. The Fish and Wildlife Department said in its own news release that the cub’s foot could have been injured by umbilical cord strangulation.

He was slowly nursed back to health, being bottle-fed multiple times a day, and later transferred to Oakland Zoo’s Veterinary Hospital.

“Zoo Veterinary and Animal Care staff will continue to monitor his foot closely as he grows to ensure he uses the leg properly and it doesn’t cause any complications,” the zoo said. “The zoo is optimistic that Crimson will have a good life regardless of his history.”

It’s unclear why Crimson’s mother abandoned him, but the Oakland Zoo said, “she may have done so because of the kitten’s abnormal hind limb, specifically the missing toes, which could have triggered an instinct in the mother to relocate her other potential kittens and conserve resources by establishing a new den site.”

Crimson is now enjoying the around-the-clock care he’s receiving at the Oakland Zoo. He is being bottle-fed every three hours by staff members, who will continue this routine for a few weeks.

Cubs need their mother for about a year to a year-and-a-half to learn how to survive in the wild.

“I’ve had the privilege of witnessing countless rescues. There is something so deeply moving about watching our team pour themselves so completely into a single life,” Nik Dehejia, CEO of Oakland Zoo, said in a statement. “Their skill, their sleepless nights, and their quiet determination motivate me.”

After his rehabilitation at the veterinary hospital, the zoo hopes to introduce Crimson to Clover, a female cub rescued last month who is also on the road to recovery.

“While Oakland Zoo and CDFW prefer these kittens to remain in the wild, the pairing of Clover with Crimson will help improve their overall wellbeing and secure a brighter future for both cubs,” the zoo said.