An Unexpected Visitor
It began like any other morning in a quiet California neighborhood. A man was helping his wife’s 108-year-old grandmother settle in for breakfast when he noticed movement outside the dining room’s floor-to-ceiling window. At first, he thought the animal staring back at him was a bobcat, common enough in the area. But on closer look, he realized this was no bobcat. It was a mountain lion cub.
Just days earlier, neighbors had shared the sad news that a female mountain lion had been struck and killed by a car on nearby Portola Road. Trail cameras confirmed she had been raising three cubs. Without their mother, the kittens were far too young to survive. The sight of the cub outside the window suggested the community’s worst fears: the little ones had been orphaned.
Coffee, Courage, and Cubs
As the family watched, the cub wandered toward their car. When they stepped outside to check, they discovered another cub hiding beneath the vehicle and soon, a third appeared. The man grabbed a lawn chair, settled at a safe distance, and quietly stood guard. Coffee in hand, heart pounding, he waited until help could arrive.
Wildlife officials from California Fish and Wildlife and partners from the Peninsula Open Space Trust responded quickly. With patience, nets and a dose of good fortune, they safely secured all three cubs. Malnourished and disoriented, the siblings later named Fern, Thistle, and Spruce, were transported to the Oakland Zoo for urgent medical care.
A Second Chance
For the family who had first spotted them, the rescue was deeply personal. A couple months later, they visited the Oakland Zoo’s veterinary facility, allowing the grandmother, who had missed the magical first sighting, to finally meet the cubs in person. Fern, shy but resilient, perched quietly nearby, while Thistle, bolder and spirited, showed off at feeding time.
From the beginning, the hope was to find the cubs a permanent home where they could thrive. That hope became reality when the Phoenix Zoo welcomed Fern and Thistle into its new Big Cats of Arizona habitat, a state-of-the-art space that highlights the beauty, strength and adaptability of Arizona’s wild cats.
Today, visitors can see Thistle, and soon Fern, exploring this expansive new habitat. Their presence in the Big Cats of Arizona habitat allows them to inspire thousands of guests each year and serve as living reminders of the challenges native wildlife face.
Where Compassion Meets Action
Their journey also highlights a larger need. The Phoenix Zoo is leading the way with the Doornbos Animal Rescue & Care Center (ARCC), a future facility dedicated to caring for animals like Fern and Thistle. Designed to provide urgent medical treatment, rehabilitation and long-term homes for animals that cannot survive on their own, the Doornbos ARCC will expand the Zoo’s ability to respond to crises, from orphaned wildlife to victims of illegal trafficking.
The man who first spotted the cub outside his window asked not to be named. He downplayed his role, saying simply: “I just want to help the cats.” Yet his actions and the collaboration between neighbors, agencies and two zoos, changed the course of three young lives.
Fern and Thistle’s story is a reminder of what’s possible when compassion meets action.
Learn more and support the Doornbos Animal Rescue & Care Center at Doornbos Animal Rescue & Care Center – Phoenix Zoo
