PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia Zoo announced the arrival of two orphaned puma cubs before they make their official debut in early fall.
The cubs, one female and one male, were rescued from Washington State over the summer and cared for by the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife experts before being flown across the country.
The male cub is named Elbroch in honor of Mark Elbroch who is the leading researcher for Panthera, a conservation organization devoted to the protection of the world's 40 species of wild cats.
The female is named Olympia after the state capital of Washington where the cubs were rescued. The puma cubs are estimated to be 20-21 weeks old. Their mother was believed to have been shot by a farmer.
Guests can tell the two apart by their size, according to the zoo. Elbroch is a little bigger than his sister. He is confident and unafraid to explore while Olympia follows along, looking to her brother for reassurance.
The cubs will not be on exhibit or visible to the public until later this fall when they complete their quarantine period before moving to Big Cat Falls. Philadelphia Zoo was chosen as the new, permanent home for the cubs because of the Zoo's expertise in caring for this species.
Before their arrival, wildlife veterinarians in Washington determined the cubs were 30-40% underweight for their developmental age.
The Zoo’s veterinary team is providing customized care that includes feeding a specialized dietary plan designed by the Zoo’s animal nutritionist. As the cubs settle in, the veterinary team will perform full physical exams, blood work, cardiac and abdominal ultrasound exams, and administer necessary vaccines.
“Our keepers have been working in overdrive to come up with plans for socialization and training. Welfare is our top priority so the puma siblings will successfully acclimate to their new home,” said Curator of Carnivores and Ungulates Maggie Morse. “We are so thankful to our keeper and veterinary teams who have stepped up to give these cubs the best care possible, and we can’t wait for the public to meet them and learn their story.”
Typically, cubs are completely dependent on their mom when they are born and are covered in spots that fade as they grow, disappearing when they’re about six months old. Cubs typically nurse for three months or more, but can begin eating meat at six weeks.
This pair is not the first orphaned pumas the Zoo has cared for. In 2005, cubs Dakota, Sage and Cinnabar came to the Zoo after they were orphaned in the wild in South Dakota. All three have since passed away.
