It's time to tell you about our not-so-little secrets! 😻😻 Last month, two orphaned puma cubs, a male and female, arrived at the Zoo after being rescued and briefly cared for by Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife experts. Officials there determined it was unlikely the cubs would have survived on their own without their mother. Today, the cubs are estimated to be 20-21 weeks old. The two are living behind-the-scenes inside our on-site Animal Hospital where they are receiving the best care possible as they complete their quarantine period.
The cubs are NOT visible to the public and won't be until they move to their new home in Big Cat Falls some time in September. Philadelphia Zoo was chosen as the permanent home for the cubs because of our expertise in caring for this species. We'll be sure to keep you posted for when they make their public debut!
Our staff have named the cubs Elbroch and Olympia. Our boy is named Elbroch (pronounced el-brock) in honor of Mark Elbroch who is the leading puma researcher for Panthera, a conservation organization devoted to the protection of the world’s 40 species of wild cats. Our girl is named Olympia after the state capital of Washington where the cubs were rescued.
You can tell the two apart by their size. Elbroch is a little bit bigger than his sister. He's confident and not afraid to explore and Olympia follows along, looking to her brother for reassurance.
Stay tuned as we continue to provide updates as these little ones get acclimated to their new home in Philly. We are so thankful to our team of keepers, curators and veterinary staff who continue to provide incredible care to ensure these two babies thrive. ❤️
