A young mountain lion found abandoned in Ventura County earlier this year underwent surgery this summer, with doctors amputating one of his hind legs.
The kitten was 22 days old when he was rescued from a den in the western Santa Monica Mountains in late March. Researchers had monitored the spot and intervened when it was clear the young puma was alone and his condition was declining, officials said.
The mountain lion, initially dubbed P-131, was missing all of his toes on his left hind foot, likely a congenital injury. He was taken to the Los Angeles Zoo briefly and then flown to the Oakland Zoo, where he was named Crimson.
"He was about 3 weeks old, super cute, tiny little kitten with all those big black spots that they start out with," said
Dr. Lauren Pudenz, associate veterinarian at the Oakland Zoo.
He responded well to treatment, and they hoped he would learn to walk on the large pad on the base of his left hind foot. Instead, he tried to balance on the end of his leg, which couldn't hold up to the activity level of a young mountain lion, the vet said.
Zoo officials thought it might be easier as he got a bit older and more coordinated. They also tried a series of different types of splints to try to encourage him to rock farther back on the foot without success.
"You could tell it was a little painful for him to try and walk on whenever he wasn't wearing a little splint to protect it," Pudenz said. "It was not a great situation for him."
After various efforts to help him adapt, talking to experts and digging into case studies, officials decided amputating the leg would be Crimson's best option. The surgery happened last month.
"Crimson woke up from that anesthesia, and it took him all of maybe half a second to adjust," Pudenz said.
Cougar kitten found in Thousand Oaks area
In the spring, the weeks-old kitten was found in the Thousand Oaks area. The National Park Service tracked the kitten's mother, part of a long-term study of the mountain lion population in Ventura and Los Angeles counties, and believed the cougar recently had kittens.
Scientists with the park service have studied local pumas since 2002 to see how they're surviving in an increasingly urban area. Their work includes outfitting mountain lions with GPS collars and tagging kittens in dens. In this case, however, researchers found just one kitten, and the small, spotted lion was missing his toes on a hind foot.
Using GPS collar data, telemetry and remote cameras, they monitored the den over multiple days to allow for the possibility of the mother’s return, according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. But authorities then decided they needed to intervene.
The department only does so when conditions indicate the animal cannot survive in the wild or when public safety is at risk, officials said. In this case, the kitten was not a candidate for release back into the wild, because of his young age and injury, the department said. In the wild, kittens typically would stay with their mom for 12 to 18 months.
In Oakland, a team of vets, technicians and zoo keepers worked with Crimson over the next several months, providing medical care, nutrition and other support. Their efforts included setting up activities and toys for the young lion.
"He's had things to climb, things to wrestle," Pudenz said.
What is the next step for the young puma?
The vet described Crimson, now nearly 6 months old, as rambunctious and active. He might not jump quite as high as a cat with four legs, but the amputation has not slowed him down, she said.
"He's still very fast, very athletic," she said.
Crimson isn't likely to stay permanently at the Oakland Zoo, and officials expect to announce a plan shortly for the young mountain lion's new home. In the meantime, he's become incredibly popular, according to Pudenz.
"He's basically up here charming everyone waiting on his forever home," she said.
Cheri Carlson covers the environment and county government for the Ventura County Star. Reach her at cheri.carlson@vcstar.com.
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Mountain lion kitten abandoned in Thousand Oaks undergoes amputation
