Calif. cougar orphans adjust to new home

Mountain Lions The Newest Residents At Sonoma Wildlife Reserve

Posted: 5:48 pm PDT March 20, 2009
Updated: 6:44 pm PDT March 20, 2009

SONOMA COUNTY, Calif. — California Department of Fish and Game transferred two
captured mountain lions to The Wildlife Rescue of Sonoma County, a
rehabilitation center for wild animals. The transfer marks the first time the
agency has given mountain lions to any group in Sonoma County.

The two new residents, Kuma and Kyla, are seven months old. They were given to
the shelter a few months ago, orphaned when a hunter killed their mother. The
purpose of the gift was to educate the public.

Doris Duncan, the founder of the Wildlife Rescue, welcomed the gift.

“We have an opportunity now to bring people from the public to come visit our
wildlife center. They can come see for themselves what mountain lions look like,
what their habitat is like,” said Duncan.

Kuma and Kyla both came to the center with injuries. Kyla’s right leg is
fractured, and Kuma had his left paw amputated.

Mountain lion sightings are not uncommon in Sonoma County. When water is sparse,
wild animals venture toward the urban fringe, and since mountain lions prey on
deer, wherever deer look for food, mountain lions will follow.

http://www.foxreno.com/news/18980158/detail.html

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Learn more about big cats and Big Cat Rescue at http://bigcatrescue.org