Stephen Ellison

Two Orphaned Mountain Lion Cubs to Stay at Oakland Zoo

Pair seen wandering around Half Moon Bay taken to zoo for vet evaluation, with plan to reintroduce them into wild

A pair of mountain lion cubs seen wandering around downtown Half Moon Bay this week are orphans and will be housed at the Oakland Zoo for now, according to the zoo and wildlife officials.

The cougar cubs, spotted Sunday and Monday in Half Moon Bay, were captured Tuesday and taken to the Oakland Zoo to be evaluated by veterinarians.

The cubs were caught by Fish and Wildlife about 2 p.m. Tuesday in Half Moon Bay, San Mateo County sheriff's officials said.

On Sunday evening, the sheriff's office tweeted photos of the pair and said that they were not aggressive and “seemed to be enjoying the heat from the SMCSO patrol cars."

Two mountain lion cubs were spotted Monday on the Half Moon Bay Coastal Trail between Poplar Beach and the Ritz Carlton hotel, but officials never confirmed if they were the same two cubs.

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