"On march 25th, a mountain lion cub was found and eventually brought to the Oakland zoo." --Eleanor sudat, 6th grade
On March 25th, a surprising discovery was made in the Santa Monica Mountains: a lone mountain lion cub crying out, perhaps for its mother. Staff from the National Park Service brought him to the Los Angeles Zoo. When he arrived, the veterinary team examined him thoroughly, including a physical check, blood tests, and a CT scan. They found that he was missing toes on one of his hind legs, which might've led his mother to abandon him.
On March 27th, after being given the name Crimson, the cub was transported by air to the Oakland Zoo. According to the article “Oakland Zoo Provides Care for Three-Week-Old Male Mountain Lion Kitten from Southern California”, he was bottle-fed every three hours, and they had to be very gentle while he grew because he was very fragile. His caretakers had tried to bandage and brace his leg, but protecting the limb had become impossible. After months of treatment, it was made clear that for Crimson’s well-being, healing, and comfort, the affected limb would have to be amputated. The procedure was performed by surgeon Dr. Kim Tong, who had been essential in Crimson’s care.
The good news is that Crimson is now very strong. In the most recent CubDate, a lion cub update from the Oakland Zoo’s Instagram, it was said that almost immediately after surgery, Crimson began normal lion cub behavior, like running around his enclosure and regaining his curious and energetic personality. The update also says that “Based on his recovery trajectory date, we are optimistic he will continue to adapt exceptionally well.”
The surgery was a crucial turning point for the better in Crimson’s life. Although he could experience more challenges than usual with running and climbing, the amputation increased his mobility more than braces would and overall set Crimson on track to recover very well. The zoo staff have stated that figuring out ways to give Crimson the care he needs will be easy. They are working on setting up custom habitat designs and specialized care that will accommodate the needs of a three-legged mountain lion.
On March 27th, after being given the name Crimson, the cub was transported by air to the Oakland Zoo. According to the article “Oakland Zoo Provides Care for Three-Week-Old Male Mountain Lion Kitten from Southern California”, he was bottle-fed every three hours, and they had to be very gentle while he grew because he was very fragile. His caretakers had tried to bandage and brace his leg, but protecting the limb had become impossible. After months of treatment, it was made clear that for Crimson’s well-being, healing, and comfort, the affected limb would have to be amputated. The procedure was performed by surgeon Dr. Kim Tong, who had been essential in Crimson’s care.
The good news is that Crimson is now very strong. In the most recent CubDate, a lion cub update from the Oakland Zoo’s Instagram, it was said that almost immediately after surgery, Crimson began normal lion cub behavior, like running around his enclosure and regaining his curious and energetic personality. The update also says that “Based on his recovery trajectory date, we are optimistic he will continue to adapt exceptionally well.”
The surgery was a crucial turning point for the better in Crimson’s life. Although he could experience more challenges than usual with running and climbing, the amputation increased his mobility more than braces would and overall set Crimson on track to recover very well. The zoo staff have stated that figuring out ways to give Crimson the care he needs will be easy. They are working on setting up custom habitat designs and specialized care that will accommodate the needs of a three-legged mountain lion.
