California Cougar Cub “Spruce” Heading to Birmingham Zoo in April to Join Cougar Cub from Montana; Voting for Female Cub Name Continues Until April 1

March 28, 2025 – The Wojciechowski Cougar Crossing at the Birmingham Zoo opened on March 19 and will soon get a new addition. Spruce, one of the trio of orphaned cougar cubs at the Oakland Zoo in California will be making his way to the Birmingham Zoo in the coming weeks to join the female cub in the new cougar habitat. The three cubs in California, Fern (female), Thistle (male), and Spruce (male), were found in Portola Valley, San Mateo County.

What happened to their mother?

California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) believes the mother of these three cubs was the same female cougar hit by a car on Portola Valley Road about 0.3 miles from where Fern, Thistle, and Spruce were found. While there were many witnesses of the cougar after it was hit, the carcass has since disappeared and is still being investigated.

Why can’t the cubs be released to the wild?

In the wild, cougar cubs need about two years with their mother in the wild to learn survival skills. Because Fern, Thistle, and Spruce are so young, they lack those skills and cannot return to the wild. CDFW selects locations with the animals’ welfare and wellbeing in mind. Following CDFW’s recommendation and other considerations regarding new homes for the cubs, it has been decided that Spruce will be relocating to Birmingham Zoo to be paired with another female rescued cub. This decision was made based on the personalities of Spruce and the similarly aged female. The location of Fern and Thistle’s new homes has yet to be determined.

When will Spruce be moving, and how will he get there? Is Birmingham Zoo AZA accredited?

Spruce will be moving to Birmingham Zoo in early April. Birmingham Zoo is an AZA-accredited facility, and he will live in the new Wojciechowski Cougar Crossing Habitat, which opened to the public on March 19. The Zoo is partnering with FedEx to transport Spruce safely to his new home. FedEx provided the transport of the female cougar cub and the two male bobcats (Boomer and Baxter) earlier in March.

Who will Spruce live with once he moves to Birmingham Zoo? Help name her before April 1.

Spruce will be joining a rescued female cub, who has yet to be named, in the Wojciechowski Cougar Crossing Habitat at Birmingham Zoo. Voting for her name is now open to the public until April 1  HERE. The three names for consideration are Sage, Sierra, and Juniper. Currently Sierra is leading in the votes followed closely by Sage.

The female cub was found in Billings, Montana, by a property owner who discovered her stuck in his fence, but there were no signs of other cubs or adults nearby. Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks helped rescue her on December 14, 2024. Although the cub was emaciated, she displayed a feisty spirit and appeared in good overall health despite her situation. The animal care staff at Birmingham Zoo continues working with the new cub to help her acclimate to her new home.

Two rescued bobcats from California (Boomer and Baxter) also came to the Birmingham Zoo in early March with the help of FedEx and live in their own section of Wojciechowski Cougar Crossing. They have their own interior and exterior habitat spaces adjacent to the cougars.

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