Orphan mountain lion cubs found hiding under car after mom killed, California zoo says

Three adorable mountain lion kittens are recovering after being rescued from their hiding place under a vehicle, California zoo officials reported.

The cubs, believed to be about 3 months old, appear to have been on their own for about two weeks, the Oakland Zoo said in a Wednesday, Jan. 29, news release.

Authorities believe their mother was hit and killed by a vehicle in the Portola Valley area of San Mateo County in the San Francisco Bay Area, zoo officials said. The mountain lion carcass has since vanished, so they can’t confirm her relationship to the cubs through DNA.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife brought the cubs to the zoo Sunday, Jan. 26, after they were rescued about a third of a mile from where the lion was struck.

Residents had earlier reported seeing the cubs wandering the neighborhood and authorities could not find any sign of their mother searching for them, zoo officials said.

The siblings, now named Fern, Thistle and Spruce, were found to be relatively healthy but thin after a week or so without their mother, zoo officials said.

Mountain lion cubs normally remain with their mother for about two years, so the cubs will not be released back into the wild since they won’t have the skills to survive, zoo officials said.

The zoo is now looking for a permanent home for Fern, Thistle and Spruce.

The Oakland Zoo was established in 1922. Portola Valley is about a 35-mile drive south from San Francisco.

This story was originally published January 29, 2025 at 2:56 PM with the headline "Orphan mountain lion cubs found hiding under car after mom killed, California zoo says."