Mountain Lion

Background Information

The Desert Museum traditionally adopts orphaned mountain lions, which have not been suitable for release into the wild, including the Museum's current resident, found as a five and a half-month-old male cub in San Jose, CA in March 2013 weighing only 15磅. 获救 and nursed back to health by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, but unsuitable for reintroduction into the wild, its adoption by the Desert Museum was arranged through the 亚利桑那州 Game and Fish Department.

Read more about Cruz's background.

统计数据

Naming Contest

My name was submitted by Darlene Baty of Tucson, 亚利桑那州, and references the Santa Cruz river that runs through the Sonoran Desert.

Cruz was selected as the winning name from over 1400 submissions. Entries came in from 34 states and the District of Columbia, and 6 foreign countries. The list was narrowed down to 10, and Museum staff, 讲解员之一, and 志愿者 voted to determine the winner.

• I have grown since making my home at the Desert Museum:
• I now weigh about 65 pounds!
• I love to swim and interact with children of all ages.
• My favorite toy is my red jolly ball.

Other top 5 names were:

• Ousei, which means Mountain Lion in Yaqui (submitted by Luann Read)
• J Edgar Cougar (submitted by Jena McLaughlin)
• Cereus George (submitted by Martha Lundgren)
• Taş, which means Sun in O'Odham (submitted by Rachel Muscat)

The mountain lion has been an iconic symbol of the Desert Museum for many years and in the past the Museum's male mountain lions have always been named George L. Mountainlion.

"The Museum will continue to embrace this tradition using the iconic image and name, 然而, the reigning George L. has retired and this cub needs a name. So, the decision was made to invite the community to help the Museum name the new cub…"
—Executive Director, Craig Ivanyi.

Photo by Rhonda Spencer

Watch young Cruz as he explored his new home on his first day out: