Two orphaned sister mountain lion cubs made their debut this month with the opening of the OC Zoo’s new large mammal exhibit.
Now, you have the chance to help pick their names!
*Voting has concluded. Check back soon for the name announcement!*
More than 1,500 name suggestions were submitted in person at the zoo during the first two weekends the new exhibit was open. Animal keepers helped narrow the list down to their five favorite name combinations. The winning name pair will be announced after voting concludes. Follow us on Facebook @orangecountyparks and Instagram @OCParks for updates.
The two cubs, now approximately seven months old, were found as very young kittens, apparently abandoned or orphaned near a Thousand Oaks, Calif. office park in November of 2021. The zoo treated the female cubs’ malnutrition and nursed them back to health.
Mountain lions typically stay with their mothers and learn to hunt for approximately one to two years. Due to their extremely young ages, the cubs would likely not survive in the wild and will remain at the OC Zoo.
The new large mammal exhibit at the OC Zoo in Irvine Regional Park opened May 13. The 2-acre habitat represents the largest expansion project in the zoo’s history. In addition to the sister cubs, it houses an adult mountain lion, a male orphaned mountain lion cub and an adult jaguar.
