Wild Animal News

99th Cougar Captured and Tagged for Santa Monica Mountains Study; But Monrovia the Cougar Found Dead

A three-year old 75 pound female is the latest study animal in the ongoing National Park Service (NPS) study of urban cougars (also known and mountain lions and pumas).. NPS and news reports say she was captured September 8 in the western part of the Santa Monica Mountains. The range includes major freeways such as the 101 and 405 and is also heavily populated. The sedated cat was examined by vets, given an ear tag, weighed and had biological samples taken. Her parents are undetermined as of now and she may be offspring of one or even two of the other cats in the study, of which 13 are currently collared.

P-99 under human scrutiny after her September 8th capture. The cat is now part of a 20-year-old National Park Service study examining the wild predators in a mixed urban and wild environment. Just over one dozen cats are collared in the survey,

Confined space, human proximity and inter-cat conflict have led to the deaths of many cats in the study, which has been ongoing for about 20 years. The study began when a pair of the big cats delivered a litter. The male P-1 eventually killed the female and her kittens.

The cats are numbered sequentially and the P stands for Puma which is the most standard name in the science community. Pumas are known to have the most names of any other cat. Puma, mountain lion, cougar and catamount are among the more common but there are many others. The cats also have the greatest north-south range of any cat and are found from Canada and Alaska down to most of South America.

Monrovia the cougar burned in the Bobcat Fire survived about 10 months after her release but was recently found dead.

It was not all good news however. Monrovia, a female rescued from the Bobcat Fire was rehabilitated and released. She survived for about 10 months and seemed to be doing well, including gaining weight. However she was recently found dead. A necropsy (animal autopsy) was inconclusive. She was estimated to be about 6 years old and cougars rarely live past 10.

News Roundup: Stories of Interest You May Have Missed

Feds Charge Woman Who Stood Too Close to a Grizzly Bear in Yellowstone

An Illinois woman is in hot water after standing too close to a grizzly bear sow and her cubs. The woman was part of a tourist group in Yellowstone Park last spring. Everyone else in the group maintained the mandatory distance from the bears but the woman faces federal charges alleging she stayed too close to the bears and the sow became anxious. The woman was identified after she posted photos on social media.

https://www.news10.com/news/woman-charged-in-caught-on-camera-bear-encounter-at-yello

Attempt to Breed Rare Sumatran Tiger Proves Fatal At Zoo

A breeding introduction at a zoo in Washington State turned deadly for the female tiger, the zoo says. Kirana, a Sumatran Tiger, was being introduced to Raja in an attempt to help increase numbers of the badly endangered tiger subspecies but the pair fought and Kirana received fatal injuries. Sumatran tigers are the smallest tiger subspecies and only an estimated 350 remain in the wild.

https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/endangered-sumatran-tiger-dies-at-tacomas-point-defiance-zoo/281-37545487-d94e-4ea1-aa1d-92f1cb0dfe3e#:~:text=%E2%80%94%20A%20female%20Sumatran%20tiger%20died%20at%20Tacoma%27s,to%20the%20zoo%E2%80%99s%20head%20veterinarian%20Dr.%20Karen%20Wolf.

Orphaned Elephant Returns to Introduce Her Newborn to Human Rescuers

An orphaned elephant who was hand raised by human rescuers gave birth some years after her return to the wild and chose that very day to return to the keepers who raised her, bringing her newborn along. The story is courtesy of the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust in Kenya which is a successful rescuer of orpaned elephants.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/orphaned-elephant-visits-keeper-who-raised-her-after-8-years-brings-newborn-calf-along/ar-AAPq3Ag

Terrified Woman Nevertheless Helps Capture Rare Blond Rattlesnale

A terrified Mississippi woman overcame her fear of snakes to help in the capture of an extremely rare blond timber rattlesnake. Experts have no idea how rare such snakes are but guessed that only one would hatch out of thousands of eggs and the survival rate would be extraordinarily low because they lack the coloration to avoid predators,

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2021/10/01/mississippi-woman-finds-rare-blond-rattlesnake

SARS-Covid 2 Among Topics as Wildlife Veterinarians Hold Conference

With the Covid related death of a snow leopard at the Great Plains Zoo as a grim reminder, wildlife veterinarians are having a virtual international conference at which Covid will be a major topic of discussion as the veterinarians work to assist zoo animals and wildlife in general.

The American Association of Zoo Veterinarians (AAZV) and the European Association of Zoo and Wildlife Veterinarians (EAZWV) are hosting a joint virtual conference on select days during a five week period ending Nov. 5.

Among the topics listed for presentation and discussion on the AAZV website are experimental veterinary vaccines for Covid-Sars 2, diagnostic and management protocols for the virus and a close examination of cases of the virus among wild felids.

The above photo of a healthy snow leopard shows some of the adaptations for cold and high altitude. Dense fur, compact body, rounded ears and a thick bushy tail all contribute to the cat’s ability to function in its challenging realm

The conference is being held in the wake of the death of Baya, a 2.5 year old snow leopard who died October 7 despite intensive care, according to the Great Plains Zoo and Delbridge Natural History Museum in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, where she lived. The zoo said her symptoms, consistent with Covid-Sars 2, began October 3 and despite the efforts of zoo staff and consultants, died October 7. She had been sent to the Great Plains zoo as part of a captive breeding program to help assure the survival of the species. An estimated 7,000 snow leopards survive in mountainous terrain in Asia. Conservation efforts appear to have raised the number, but the species is still at risk.

Other cats in the zoo have shown similar but milder symptoms, the zoo said.

The AAZV describes itself as “veterinarians advancing the health and welfare of zoo animals and wild animals” and describes its goals as improving the health of zoo animals and wildlife as well as promoting veterinary medicine, and “Fostering positive interrelationshios among humans, animals and the environment,”

The 1,000 member AAZV is based in Yulee Florida

Wildlife Learning Center Continues Successful Private Tours

Private tours of the Wildlife Learning Center, a local zoo and rescue center, are continuing and are quite successful, according to co-founder David Riherd. General admission is also available, but hours are restricted, he said.

“We started offering tours so people could be comfortable visiting us during the pandemic, and the tours have been a great success,” Riherd said.

Riherd and fellow co-founder Paul Hahn began modestly in 1993 rescuing pets and starting animal enrichment programs in schools. To date their website https://wildlifelearningcenter.org says they have conducted more than 22,000 teaching missions. Many of those efforts have been with traditionally underserved communities, he noted.

The pair opened the current site, 16027 Yarnell Street in Sylmar, which is now home to about 100 animals, in 2007. The site houses rescues, displaced and zoo-born animals who otherwise would have no life -long home. Mammals at the WLC include servals, bobcats, squirrel monkeys and hedgehogs. There are animals here from all over the world including birds, amphibians, arthropods and reptiles.

The pandemic has limited general admission to Tuesdays and Thursdays 10am to 5 pm with advance reservations required. Tours, however, are offered seven days a week with advanced reservations. Tours are guided by staff biologists and masks and social distancing are still required. General admittees walk the grounds without assigned guides.

Among the rescued animals is Denali, a bald eagle. Denali was rescued with a broken wing and rehabilitated. But because of arthritis the bird was unable to be released in the wild and now has a permanent home at WLC.

To see Denali, the sloths, bobcats, servals and alligators on a more intimate level it is necessary to book a tour. WLC offers 45 and 90 minute guided tours for a limited number of people “creating automatic social distancing.” Riherd said.

In addition to tours and admissions the WLC also offers various events depending on the season and Covid restrictions. There are also ways to “adopt” animals at the center and other forms of donation to help support the animals welfare and provide funds for the “wish list” of structural improvement under consideration.

For further information or to book a tour or general admission call 818 362 8711 or visit for more information,