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Spruce, one of the mountain lion cubs rescued from Portola Valley, recently arrived at his new home in the Birmingham Zoo in Alabama after taking a cross-country flight. Spruce leaves behind siblings Fern and Thistle at the Oakland Zoo.
The three cubs were rescued in late January by the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District and California Department of Fish and Wildlife after Portola Valley residents reported a dead female mountain lion weeks before. Locals found the cubs hiding under a truck and they were transported to the Oakland Zoo for rehabilitation.
At the Birmingham Zoo, Spruce is joined by a new companion named Juniper, a female cub rescued from Billings, Mont. Juniper was rescued in December 2024 after a property owner found her stuck in his fence.
The decision to relocate Spruce was based on the duo’s similar personalities and so far the match seems to be perfect. Upon their arrival in Birmingham, staff have observed the pair cuddling, playing and chirping, according to the Oakland Zoo.
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife selects the forever homes of rescued cubs with the animals welfare and wellbeing in mind, said the zoo. The sibling trio unfortunately were not able to stay in Oakland due to a mismatch in personalities between the cubs and the current mountain lions at the zoo. New homes for Fern and Thistle are yet to be determined but the zoo has previously confirmed they will stay together.
Moving to Birmingham
The Oakland and Birmingham zoos collaborated with FedEx, which donated transportation costs for Spruce’s flight as part of its FedEx Cares “Delivering for Good” initiative.
In preparation for his travels, animal care staff at the Oakland Zoo used positive reinforcement training to help him become comfortable in his travel crate. In time for his early morning flight on April 4, Spruce, accompanied by Zoological Manager Angela Gibson, did an “amazing job shifting into his crate,” said the zoo.
Once the two cubs are settled in the Birmingham Zoo nighthouse, they will move into the new Wojciechowski Cougar Crossing Habitat, which opened to the public on March 19.
“The cougar cubs, along with the two adult bobcats, live in a new facility designed to allow the cats to explore and exhibit natural behaviors. Guests will learn about these amazing animals and their species, and we look forward to watching them thrive together at the Birmingham Zoo,” said Chris Pefferkorn, president and CEO of the Birmingham Zoo.
Spruce and his siblings were part of the Oakland Zoo’s 30th mountain lion rescue. Across California, mountain lions face many threats from car strikes, rodenticide and wildfires.
“We are excited that a wonderful home has been found for Spruce,” said Nik Dehejia, CEO of Oakland Zoo. “Though we are quick to respond when called into action, we hope measures will be implemented to prevent Oakland Zoo from needing to rescue these animals so often in the future. Coexistence is essential for the survival of this species.”
According to the Oakland Zoo, on average, each rescued mountain lion cub spends about eight days under the care of staff and costs about $18,000 monthly in veterinary and animal care. These efforts are funded by donations from the community, said the zoo. As of March 26, the community of Portola Valley donated over $70,000 to support the Oakland Zoo’s rescue program.
More updates on Spruce and Juniper are to come from the Birmingham and Oakland zoos through each organization’s social media platforms. Follow @oaklandzoo and @bhmazoo on Instagram and Facebook to see how the cubs are settling into their new homes.
