Community Corner

Whiting Ranch Cougar May Join Cat Sanctuary

The mountain lion, captured July 17, is now staying at the Cat House, a feline conservatory in Rosamond.

The California wild cat sanctuary that took in a mountain lion  in Whiting Ranch has asked to adopt the animal permanently.

The state's Department of Fish and Game is reviewing the request from the Exotic Feline Breeding Compound's Feline Conservation Center in Rosamond, according to agency spokesman Andrew Hughan.

Since it arrived at the sanctuary July 17, the mountain lion "seems to be adapting well," said Scott Weldy, a local veterinarian. Weldy, an exotic animal expert, treated the big cat at , his Lake Forest clinic, .

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  • Learn why and how the cat was captured: 

On the Feline Conservation Center's website, the cat is listed under the name Serrano, a nod to his former living area near the Serrano Cow Trail.

A  prompted Fish and Game employees to seek out the cat, which appeared to be acting strangely.

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The video followed a number of

Serrano will remain in quarantine at the Cat House, as the conservation center is called, for a time to ensure it is healthy, Weldy said. Typically, quarantines last a minimum of 30 days, he added.

The cougar will not join the other cats on display at the Cat House until it becomes a permanent resident, Weldy said.

  • See photos and video of the mountain lion during its Lake Forest stay:

According to the conservation center, mountain lions also go by the following names: puma, panther, painter, catamount, American lion, deer tiger, brown tiger and night screamer.

In the Western hemisphere, cougars range from upper Canada down to the tip of South America. Cats from colder regions are the largest, weighing up to 200 pounds.

California, or Western, cougars are average-sized, about 150 pounds for males, 100 pounds for females, according to the Cat House.

Wildlife officials estimated Serrano weighed about 100 pounds and was between 18 months and 2 years old when captured.

Although cougars live in mountains throughout the state, they tend to be shy, making it uncommon for people to encounter them while hiking. Still, young children should never be separated from adults while hiking in California wilderness areas.

Learn more about the cat sanctuary, a nonprofit open to the public, here.


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