Oakland, California - Two orphaned mountain lion cubs are on the mend at Oakland Zoo in California. The baby animals, now named Clover and Crimson, were on death's door: one was severely underweight, and the other still needed his mother's milk.
When the mountain lion cub named Clover was brought to the Oakland Zoo in March, she was covered in ticks and weighed just a meager five and a half pounds upon arrival.
She'd been found in El Dorado County, northeast of the zoo.
"Mountain lion cubs rely on their mothers for up to two years to teach them essential survival skills," the zoo wrote on social media.
"When a kitten is found alone like this, it often means the mother couldn't return, too often due to vehicle strikes or other human‑wildlife conflicts that can be prevented."
Clover was in dire straits: she even needed a blood transfusion from another mountain lion at the zoo.
Luckily, the treatment worked, and Clover's now up to almost 15 pounds. She's got her spark back, and a super sweet video shows the cub investigating her enclosure.
Soon, Clover will get a playmate, another orphaned mountain lion cub named Crimson.
Crimson was found in Southern California at the beginning of April, and per Popular Science, was first cared for in Los Angeles.
Crimson and Clover are recovering together at the Oakland Zoo
The three-week-old mountain lion was rescued and needed to be bottle-fed every four hours by keepers, but was in otherwise good health.
Unfortunately, the poor wild thing lost the toes on one foot before he was found. Crimson is growing well, though, and learning to walk and stalk.
Keepers hope Clover can help Crimson learn a thing or two when they become roomies. The zoo has been sharing updates on the adorable cubs on social media, and their introduction promises to be fascinating!