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Rescued Mountain Lion Cubs Getting Along At Oakland Zoo

OAKLAND (CBS SF) -- A pair of recently rescued mountain lion cubs that were brought to the Oakland Zoo are getting along well, according to zoo officials.

According to the Oakland Zoo, a male cub rescued from Modoc County after being orphaned when its mother was killed after reportedly killing sheep was brought to the Zoo in late September.

The female cub was found in Lake County, apparently abandoned by its mother and in declining health until California Department of Fish and Wildlife officers brought her to Sonoma Wildlife Rescue on September 12. Over the next month, the dehydrated and emaciated cub was nursed back to health.

A month later, the female cub was transferred to the Oakland Zoo where the two cubs met for the first time.

Rescued mountain lion cubs together
Rescued mountain lion cubs together (Oakland Zoo)

The cubs – both about ten weeks old – appear to be in good health. In video made available by the Oakland Zoo, the two cubs can be seen licking and snuggling with each other.

The cub are eating well and gaining weight. The male is now at 20 pounds and the female is just shy of 8.5 pounds.

In the past ten months, a total of five unrelated, orphaned mountain lion cubs have been rescued and brought to Oakland Zoo by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, officials said.

The two cubs at the Oakland Zoo will eventually be placed at a permanent wildlife facility.

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