Oakland Zoo crimson mountain lion Crimson had his injured hind leg amputated after several months of treatment at the Oakland Zoo. Zoo officials said the surgery gave the cub the best chance for long-term comfort and mobility, and he was already adapting well on three legs.
Crimson’s March 25 rescue
Crimson was found in his den on March 25, when he was 3 weeks old. Zoo officials said he had lost 10% of his body weight and had several missing toes on a hind leg that were lost in the wild.
He was sent to the Oakland Zoo, where caretakers bottle-fed him around the clock. The zoo described his health as being at a delicate stage in those first days, and staff used multiple bandaging and bracing techniques to support the leg as it developed.
Oakland Zoo care
After months of treatment, zoo officials said protecting the injured leg became difficult because the paw could not bear weight. They decided to amputate the affected limb, saying that was the best path for long-term comfort and mobility. Crimson was about 5½ months old when the surgery happened.
The zoo said he returned almost immediately to the curious, energetic behavior expected of a growing cub. Crimson has proven to be incredibly resilient, the zoo said, and he seemed to be getting along well on three legs after the amputation.
Fern, Thistle, and Spruce
Crimson is the latest mountain lion cub to be rescued at the Oakland Zoo. Last year, the zoo took in three 3-month-old cubs named Fern, Thistle, and Spruce after their mother was likely struck and killed by a car.
For Crimson, the immediate change is permanent: his injured leg is gone, and the zoo is now focused on comfort, mobility, and the day-to-day care of a cub that had already survived a difficult start. Zoo officials have not laid out any future medical steps.
