This mountain lion cub decided to venture into a high school in California a couple of weeks ago. Apparently, a custodian saw it and was able to trap the adventurous mountain lion in a classroom before getting officials to safely remove it.
The high school was Pescadero High School in San Mateo County. The mountain lion appeared to be only 6-8 months old and likely orphaned by its parents. The Oakland Zoo is now officially caring for the saved mountain lion cub.
Before 8:30 am the cub was discovered inside the school as the custodian was preparing the high school for daily activities. Wednesday afternoon they were able to get authorities on the scene and capture it using a tranquilizer and transported the cub to the zoo for further evaluation and care.
Thankfully no students or staff were endangered during this event as class wasn’t ins session yet. While no one knows for sure how the mountain lion cub got inside the school, it’s a small community near the cost and is 30 miles west of San Jose.
All the staff and locals who helped rescue this cub are grateful today for the Oakland Zoo to come in and ensuring the proper care of the orphaned cub going forward.
Here’s a better picture of the #mountainlion inside an English classroom at #Pescadero HS.
— Stephanie Magallon (@MagallonNews) June 1, 2022
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is responding. @nbcbayarea pic.twitter.com/kjTajLpGfP
Why do some mountain lions abandon their cubs?
It’s not fully understood but it is theorized that the mother may have been killed, leaving the cubs to fend for themselves. If a female cannot find enough food, she may abandon her young in order to increase their chances of survival.
While this story has a happy ending, not all mountain lion cubs are so lucky. If you see a mountain lion cub, it’s important to not approach it as they can be dangerous. The best thing to do is call your local authorities or the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
It’s always amazing to see stories of animals being saved, even if they are in the middle of somewhere they shouldn’t be. This mountain lion cub is one lucky kitty to have been found and saved before anything bad could happen. Hopefully, this story will inspire people to take action if they see something similar happening in their own community.