Mountain lion hit by vehicle rehabilitates with San Diego Humane Society
RAMONA, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI) — A mountain lion that was hit by a vehicle the night before Thanksgiving in Ventura County is recovering at San Diego Humane Society’s (SDHS) Ramona Wildlife Center, local wildlife officials said.
The 5-month-old cub was found on the side of a road in Simi Valley with a severely fractured hind leg, SDHS said in a news release Wednesday. The animal was taken to Santa Clarita for medical treatment, but he was then transported to San Diego Humane Society’s Ramona Wildlife Center the following day.
The mountain lion was treated for dehydration and malnourishment and given a temporary splint to support his broken bones, according to SDHS. A few days later, the animal underwent surgery to fix his left tibia in which a metal plate and 10 screws were used to realign the bones.
A second surgery was performed on Dec. 1 to replace the screws for shorter screws. After a third sedated surgery recheck on Dec. 18, the mountain lion was placed in an outdoor enclosure as part of his rehabilitation process.
Port of San Diego approves new 10-acre park next to the USS Midway Museum
“It’s important he has minimal contact with the rehab specialists to ensure he does not get used to human presence,” said Andy Blue, campus director at San Diego Humane Society’s Ramona Wildlife Center. “We monitor him with cameras daily and are pleased to see he is self-limiting his activities while healing from his injury.”
As of Jan. 26, the fracture was healing well and the mountain lion has gained weight, according to SDHS.
Mountain lion cubs, which typically separate from their mothers after about 15 months but sometimes stay with them for longer, need to be fully recovered in order to survive and hunt on their own, the wildlife agency said.
If the mountain lion is released into the wild, he will sport a satellite GPS collar so SDHS can track his health and wellbeing.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News.
