By Debbie L. Sklar • Times of San Diego

Copyright timesofsandiego

Two mountain lion cubs that arrived at San Diego Humane Society’s Ramona Wildlife Center as orphans in March are back where they belong — in the wild.

The young lions were released into a suitable habitat in San Diego County on Sept. 18, after more than five months of rehabilitation. Their care was carefully designed to limit human interaction and prepare them for survival on their own.

The cubs’ journey began when they were found alone and malnourished earlier this year. The UC Davis California Carnivores Program team, working with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, safely trapped the cubs before transferring them to the Ramona Wildlife Center on March 26.

At the center, San Diego Humane Society’s Project Wildlife team provided veterinary attention and followed a specialized rehabilitation protocol. The cubs learned essential survival skills, including hunting behaviors and maintaining a natural wariness of people — key steps toward life back in the wild, according to a news release.

“We’re incredibly proud of the work our team and partners have done to give these cubs a second chance,” said Autumn Welch, Wildlife Operations manager at San Diego Humane Society. “Releasing them back into their native habitat is the ultimate goal — and a major success story for mountain lion conservation in California.”

San Diego Humane Society’s Project Wildlife program cares for more than 10,000 wild animals each year, from baby songbirds to large carnivores. The mission is to rehabilitate and return wild animals to their natural habitats whenever possible, while also promoting coexistence through education, the news release added.

For more information about Project Wildlife, visit sdhumane.org/wildlife.