Three Orphaned Mountain Lion Cubs Rescued in California After Mother's Death

The Oakland Zoo is caring for the cubs, found in Portola Valley, as efforts begin to find them a permanent home.

Three mountain lion cubs, named Fern, Thistle, and Spruce, were rescued in Portola Valley, California, after their mother was likely killed by a car.
The cubs, estimated to be three months old, were found wandering a neighborhood and hiding under a car before being taken to the Oakland Zoo for care.
Officials monitored the area for two weeks, confirming no signs of a surviving mother, though DNA testing has not definitively linked the cubs to the deceased lioness.
The cubs, described as relatively healthy but underweight, are receiving treatment at the zoo's veterinary hospital and cannot be released back into the wild due to their young age and lack of survival skills.
The Oakland Zoo and California Department of Fish and Wildlife are collaborating to relocate the cubs to a permanent sanctuary, highlighting the broader challenges mountain lions face from habitat loss and vehicle collisions.