BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The Birmingham Zoo is welcoming two young cougar cubs to its newly opened Wojciechowski Cougar Crossing habitat, marking an exciting addition to the city’s beloved institution.
Spruce, a male cougar cub from California, will arrive in April to join a female cub already residing in the habitat. The six-month-old female cub, weighing 28 pounds, was orphaned in Montana and transported to Birmingham via FedEx earlier this year. Both cubs were deemed unable to return to the wild and will now find a permanent home at the zoo.
The habitat, which opened March 19 as part of the zoo’s 70th-anniversary celebrations, offers visitors an up-close look at these majestic animals. It also includes two bobcats, Baxter and Boomer, who arrived from California earlier this month.
The zoo is inviting the community to help name the female cougar cub through a naming contest. Participants can vote for one of three names—Sage, Sierra, or Juniper—on the zoo’s Facebook and Instagram pages. Each vote costs $1, with proceeds going directly toward the cub’s care. Voting closes April 1, with the winning name announced the following day.
The addition of Spruce and the naming contest highlight the zoo’s commitment to conservation and education while engaging Birmingham residents in celebrating its newest arrivals.