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3 mountain lion cubs orphaned by California wildfires find new Ohio home

COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium is anxiously awaiting three new arrivals: mountain lion cubs displaced and orphaned by the California wildfires.

The Ohio-based zoo announced on its Facebook page Tuesday that the cubs will arrive “in the coming weeks” from the Oakland Zoo.

The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium will soon be home to three new (adorable) faces! Mountain lion cubs, Captain Cal, and two...

Posted by Columbus Zoo and Aquarium on Tuesday, November 17, 2020

According to the post, Captain Cal, who was rescued by firefighters Sept. 30 from the Zogg fire, will be joined by two adopted sister cubs, both orphaned by the August Complex fire.

Captain Cal’s rescue made headlines when firefighters found him “severely burned” and “limping down a burned-out road in Redding,” People reported.

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The male cub was originally taken to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and later transferred to the Oakland Zoo, where spokesperson Erin Harrison told CNN it was “a miracle” he survived the blaze.

“He is now fully recovered 47 days after he was rushed to Oakland Zoo’s veterinary hospital by the California Department of Fish & Wildlife,” the Columbus Zoo stated. “With surgery, antibiotics, supportive fluids, pain medication, hand-feedings, daily bandage changes, and round-the-clock care, Captain Cal is ready to make the journey to the Columbus Zoo.”

The cubs are only weeks old and cannot be released back into the wild safely, The Mercury News reported, noting cubs typically remain with their mothers for the first two years of their lives.

Meanwhile, the Columbus Zoo noted the female cubs will be named within weeks as well.

All three cubs will be subject to a mandatory quarantine upon arrival in Columbus, and once they are medically cleared, they will join the facility’s only other mountain lion, Jessie, in the zoo’s North America region, People reported.

“Even with the cubs' tragic beginning, their story is actually one of survival and hope,” Tom Stalf, Columbus Zoo and Aquarium president and CEO, told The Mercury News.

“We are proud to work with our friends at Oakland Zoo, whose expertise has given these cubs another chance. We remain committed to the cubs' care, and we will continue to share their important story with others as we work together to protect the future of wildlife and wild places,” he added.