The staff at Zoo New England’s Stone Zoo is excited to share that Maple and Willow, two 10-month-old cougar sisters, have made their debut and can now be seen at their new home within the Treasures of the Sierra Madre section of the zoo.

The cougar sisters were in need of a home after their mother was fatally hit by a car when they were an estimated 6-10 weeks old. In November 2023, the tiny orphaned cubs were found wandering alone near Burlingame, California. They were picked up by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and brought to the Oakland Zoo’s veterinary hospital for expert care. Once they were big enough, they moved to the Oakland Zoo’s “head-start” habitat while they awaited their forever home.

"We could not be more thrilled to welcome Willow and Maple to Stone Zoo," said Pete Costello, Assistant Curator of Stone Zoo. "Guests of all ages are going to delight in watching these curious cougars explore their new home, and are sure to fall in love with them just as we have. They are incredible ambassadors for their species, and we could not be happier that they have joined the Stone Zoo animal family.”

In preparation of their arrival, new climbing structures were added to increase the vertical space within their new home. Maple and Willow arrived at Zoo New England in July and were in routine quarantine where they acclimated to their new surroundings and care team. Both are quite calm, curious and playful, and have enjoyed lots of enrichment like “fishing” for frozen fish, scratching up cardboard, and interacting with new materials, including feathers, as well as different scents.

Cougars are uniquely American cats, second only to jaguars in size, and are increasingly threatened by habitat loss and fragmentation, as well as human encroachment, competition and conflict. Vehicular strikes take a heavy toll on them. These animals have a huge range, existing in both North and South America - from the Yukon in Canada through the western portion of the United States and a small portion of the eastern United States to Patagonia. This huge range has resulted in many common/regional names for this species, including panther, painter, mountain lion, puma and catamount. Because of the species’ adaptability, they can be found in all habitats from lowlands to mountainous regions and from deserts to tropical forests.