Two 8 -month-old mountain lion siblings who were orphaned when their mother was tracked, treed and killed in Rapid City, SD, have been split up.
On Thursday, May 18, the female lion was shipped to a zoo in Portland, Ore., while the male was released back into the wild.
The saga began Sunday, May 14, when a local resident spotted the female kitten in a tree. He alerted authorities, who tranquilized and captured the young female cougar. The 60-pound male kitten was trapped and darted Wednesday morning.
The mother lion was also first sighted Sunday and was deemed to be a public safety hazard. She was pursued for two days before finally being treed by hounds Tuesday morning and killed.
The young male was found Wednesday morning in a trap that had been set.
Game, Fish & Parks Assistant Director George Vandel said the female left on a flight for Portland on Thursday, May 18. The Oregon Zoo had another lion of a similar age and was willing to adopt the female. The two lions are expected to have a calming effect on each other.
The male lion was much more aggressive, which is why it was released back into the wild, according to Vandel.
Posted: May 20, 2006, 5:00 a.m. EST