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Orphaned Mountain Lion Cubs Move To Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (CBS4) -- Three mountain lion cubs are on their way to Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs, after being orphaned in Washington state. The cubs are just six weeks old and were orphaned when their mother was killed.

mountain lion cubs
(credit: Cheyenne Mountain Zoo)

"Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) responded to a human-wildlife conflict that resulted in the cubs' mother's death," officials said.

"The two sisters and their brother, who still bear the camouflaging spots of young cubs, were found in their den last week," zoo officials said.

"Of course, these situations are bittersweet. We wish we didn't have to find homes for orphaned cubs," Rebecca Zwicker stated, senior lead keeper in Rocky Mountain Wild.

After the cubs earn a clean bill of health in the next few weeks, the plan is to introduce them to Kaya -- the female mountain lion who lives in Rocky Mountain Wild, and is the only survivor of a litter of orphaned mountain lion cubs that Cheyenne Mountain Zoo helped rescue from Wyoming in 2006.

The cubs will be visible to guests at the zoo in the coming weeks.

 

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