A young male mountain lion is back in the wild after suffering a leg injury, the San Diego Humane Society announced Monday.
The five-month-old cub was hit by a car the night before Thanksgiving Day last year and found in Simi Valley with a fractured hind leg. Local services were alerted and he was then transported to Santa Clarita for immediate medical support.
When he arrived at San Diego Humane Society's Ramona Wildlife Center, the veterinary team repaired the cat’s left tibia by realigning the bones using a metal plate and 10 screws.
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He was treated for dehydration, malnourishment, and given additional surgery to adjust the placement of screws.
Following his treatment, the mountain lion was kept for surveillance and recovery at the San Diego Humane Society’s Ramona Wildlife Center.
After closely monitoring for seven months, the cub was released in Ventura County on June 26 by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. To ensure his well-being, the mountain lion was fitted with a satellite GPS collar for tracking.
“This patient was a very special case, because his surgeries involved a unique collaboration between Project Wildlife veterinarians and shelter veterinarians,” said Jon Enyart, DVM, Senior Director of Project Wildlife at the San Diego Humane Society.
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According to the San Diego Humane Society, recovery for the cub was crucial for its survival. For mountain lions, cubs can stay with their mothers for up to 26 months but separate after 15 months and need to hunt for their own.
“Being a teaching institution, we seize opportunities to share our skills across our wildlife and companion animal sides, ensuring every patient gets the highest quality medical care,” Jon Enyart added.
San Diego Humane Society’s Project Wildlife program is the primary resource for wild animal rehabilitation and conservation education in San Diego County. The Ramona campus, where the young mountain lion was cared for, specializes in native apex predators and birds of prey, including hawks, owls, eagles, coyotes, bears, bobcats, and, under special case-by-case authorization, mountain lions.
