Mountain Lion Cub Rescued From California Wildfires

• 01
  
  via Oakland Zoo

  The Oakland Zoo reported a few days ago about a 4-6 week-old mountain lion cub being brought into their care. The lion was discovered by a Cal Fire firefighter in Redding in an area that the fire burned through. The firefighter immediately contacted the Shasta County Sheriff's Department who then contacted the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW). Following that, the CDFW contacted the Oakland Zoo veterinarians. It was a team effort in which everyone had the best of intentions, wanting to save the poor cub, and thankfully, that effort payed off. 

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• 02
  
  via Oakland Zoo

  Dr. Deana Clifford, the CDFW's senior wildlife veterinarian, said: "We are so grateful for the Oakland Zoo's expertise, world-class facilities and willingness to step up – on extremely short notice – to help wildlife in need. Partnerships like this are absolutely critical to our state's efforts to provide emergency care. California's wildfires are erupting on a scale that we've never seen before, and we expect that we'll have more burn patients than we have the capacity to treat in our own veterinary facility." She added that "[u]nfortunately, a lion this size is too small to be released back into the wild, but we are hopeful that under the Zoo's care, it will get a second chance as an ambassador for its species."

• 03
  
  via Oakland Zoo

  The cub came in with bad burn injuries, especially on his paws. His whiskers were completely singed off, and his eyes were severely irritated. "The cub was cleaned and given antibiotics, supportive fluids, pain medication and fed milk formula for kittens (through a syringe)," the Oakland Zoo explains. Other than these injuries, thankfully, "there is no damage to bones or lungs," and the cub is showing promising signs of recovery - "eating on his own and acting feisty."

• 04
  
  via Oakland Zoo

  After a few days of care, the cub was named Captain Cal after the CAL FIRE's mascot. In the same Facebook post that told us his name, we were also told that the vet staff is taking care of the cub's injured feet, that he's been eating on his own, and that he looks much better than he did when he arrived, and we are so immensely happy to hear that. 

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• 05
  
  via Oakland Zoo

  A while back, another big cat cub was rescued, and we got a wonderful update about his new life last month. A tiger cub named Moka who was saved from a wildlife trafficking attempt. You can read about him here. 

• 06
  
  via Oakland Zoo
• 07
  
  via Oakland Zoo
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• 08
  
  via Oakland Zoo
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  via Oakland Zoo

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