RAMONA, Calif. (CNS) — A young mountain lion injured by a vehicle has been released back into the wild after nearly five months of rehabilitation at the San Diego Humane Society's Ramona Wildlife Center, officials said today.
The male mountain lion, estimated to be around 10 months old, was released by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife into a remote location of the Santa Ana Mountains in Orange County on June 17. He was transferred to the SDHS on Jan. 15 after being hit by vehicle four days earlier, and after receiving emergency veterinary care at Serrano Animal and Bird Hospital in Orange County.
The mountain lion was suffering from a skull fracture, head and eye trauma and lameness in his left hind leg. During the initial weeks, the organization's Project Wildlife team care focused on providing pain management, nutritional support and close observation. As he stabilized, he was moved to an outdoor enclosure, where he continued healing with minimal human contact — a critical part of preparing him for life back in the wild.
"This is the moment we all work toward — seeing a wild animal return to where they belong," said Autumn Welch, wildlife operations manager at the Ramona center. "Our job is to provide medical care while preserving the animal's wild instincts, so they have the best possible chance at surviving on their own."
The Ramona Wildlife Center specializes in the rehabilitation of native apex predators and birds of prey, including eagles, owls, hawks, coyotes, bobcats, bears and, under special case-by-case authorization, mountain lions.
The nonprofit serves as the primary resource for wildlife rehabilitation in San Diego County.
The organization is also caring for two orphaned mountain lion cubs who arrived at the Ramona center on March 26. The UC Davis California Carnivores Program Team and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife safely trapped the cubs, who were found alone, and transferred them to the SDHS, where they are undergoing rehabilitation.
Officials said their goal is to raise the cubs in a setting that limits human interaction and allows them to build essential survival skills.
Once they reach a healthy weight, exhibit appropriate wariness of people and demonstrate independent hunting behavior, they too will be considered for release into suitable habitat.
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