Rescued cougar cubs find home at the Oregon Zoo

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) -- After they were found wandering in Southwest Washington, two cougar cubs have found a new home at the Oregon Zoo.

The cubs, a male and a female, were rescued by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife who said that the pair wouldn't have survived in the wild.

“We’re so happy we can provide a home for these cubs,” said Jen Osburn Eliot, who oversees the zoo’s Great Northwest area. “We wish they could’ve grown up with their mom, but since that’s not possible we’ll be doing everything we can for them. They’re still shy with people, so we’re giving them time to adjust and explore their new home.”

The zoo said that the cubs, who they estimate are about 4 months old, are currently being cared for at their Veterinary Medical Center, and they will eventually be moved to their cougar habitat in the Great Northwest area.

“The cubs aren’t ready to venture out yet, but we’re getting the habitat prepared for a lot of activity once they are,” Osburn Eliot said. “In the wild, cougar cubs stay with their moms for at least a year, so we’re giving these two all the time they need to feel safe and comfortable in their new home.”

Cougars are found throughout the Pacific Northwest and while the zoo says they are not endangered, cougars are facing challenges due to human encroachment and habitat destruction.