Rescued mountain lion cub paired with orphaned companion at Alabama zoo

An Alabama zoo took in its second orphaned mountain lion cub in four months after it was rescued by the California Oakland Zoo in late January.

Spruce and Juniper

Spruce, an orphaned lion cub, has been paired with another orphaned cub at an Alabama zoo. (Credit: Oakland Zoo via Storyful)

Dig deeper:

Spruce will join Juniper, a female mountain lion cub that was rescued in Montana in December, at Alabama’s Birmingham Zoo.

The two cubs have taken to each other swimmingly and were "observed cuddling, playing, chirping (a form of communication) and getting to know one another," the zoo said.

Once the cubs have become acclimated to their surroundings, they will be moved to the Birmingham Zoo’s Wojciechowski Cougar Crossing Habitat.

FILE - Mountain lion cubs cuddling. (Credit: Oakland Zoo via Storyful)

California to Alabama

The backstory:

Spruce, along with his siblings, Fern and Thistle, were rescued in late January from Portola Valley in San Mateo County, California.

The decision to relocate Spruce was based on his personality, the zoo said.

Fern and Thistle’s new homes have yet to be determined.

Officials with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife believe their mother was hit by a car. It’s still unclear if the mother died, but officials found Fern, Thistle and Spruce not far from where the incident happened and the suspected mother’s body disappeared.

The matter is still being investigated, according to the zoo.