Not all Thanksgiving stories are about traditional feasts. In Simi Valley, California, something heartbreaking happened on Thanksgiving Day.
A 5-month-old male cub mountain lion was discovered on the side of a road with a severely fractured left leg. Sadly, it was a serious injury, which meant he couldn’t survive alone.
But, help came just in time. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife rescued the cub and took him to the San Diego Humane Society’s Ramona Wildlife Center.
However, it wasn’t an easy task. The cub’s surgery required cooperation between specialists from Project Wildlife and shelter veterinarians.
Since this wasn’t an ordinary surgery for a pet and mountain lions are wild animals, the team had to strike a delicate balance.
They needed to effectively treat the cub’s injuries while minimizing human interaction to preserve his natural instincts.
Luckily, their teamwork really paid off. The team took care of the cub not just for the broken leg, but also for the dehydration and malnourishment he likely had after the accident.
The surgery to fix his leg was really complicated, needing a metal plate and ten screws to fix the broken bone.
After the surgery, the cub had to have complete rest. He stayed in a special indoor area for three weeks, watched closely by cameras.
This limited contact with people helped make sure he didn’t get hurt again and made sure he wouldn’t think of humans as a source of comfort or food – which is really important for his future survival in the wild.
After the first round of healing was finished, the young mountain lion had another operation to fix the screws.
Later on, a couple of weeks passed, and he was healthy enough to transition to an outdoor area. In this new space, he could start regaining his strength and honing his hunting abilities.
Since Mountain lions are predators, meaning they’re at the top of the food chain, the little cub needed to be completely healed and skilled at hunting in order to survive independently.
So, the veterinary team patiently waited another six months before releasing him back into Ventura County.
That’s how the day he had been waiting for had finally come! The courageous young cub, who had grown into a strong and curious mountain lion, was set free in his natural habitat.
He was given a special GPS collar so that wildlife experts could monitor his whereabouts and make sure he stayed safe and healthy. Just picture this brave lion, roaming around his wilderness, feeling so joyful to be back where he belongs! I just love it!