|
| Photo courtesy of the Oakland Zoo |
Keepers and Maintenance staff have been working diligently to prepare the quarantine area and Mountain Lion Display for the arrival of Hazel and Holly, two unrelated female mountain lion cubs that were found orphaned in early February. Since being rescued, California Fish and Wildlife placed them at Oakland Zoo for veterinary treatment and critical care. Due to their age and extensive treatment, both cubs were deemed “non-releasable” by wildlife experts with California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Big Bear Alpine Zoo has extensive experience with mountain lions and will provide a forever home for these two girls. “Our goal is always to rehabilitate and return animals whenever possible and to be a sanctuary for animals that can no longer survive in their natural habitat. We strive to teach our fellow humans how to interact with nature and wildlife with respect so that we can all co-exist” says Bill Hoffman, former Zoo Curator who was recently promoted to Regional Manager for Big Bear Valley Recreation & Park District.
The two cubs, who arrived at the Big Bear Alpine Zoo on Wednesday, May 3rd, went directly into a 30-day quarantine period. Quarantine of new animals entering a new zoo is a routine practice in zoos to reduce risk of introducing any illnesses. We anticipate an introduction to their display sometime in mid-June after successful quarantine, with their comfort and care as our top priority. We invite the public to follow Big Bear Alpine Zoo on Facebook for updates and more information.
Big Bear Alpine Zoo is open daily from 10 to 4 p.m. with summer hours 10 to 5:00 p.m. starting on Memorial Day weekend. Tickets are available at the zoo and online at https://bigbearzoo.org/