WACO, TX — Tawakoni, the orphaned mountain lion found in the Black Hills of South Dakota, is now ready for visitors at Cameron Park Zoo!
Cameron Park Zoo said seven-month-old Tawakoni is now ready for her "big debut" this weekend. You can see her starting Saturday, Aug. 3, every other day, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Tawakoni and Cameron Park's more senior mountain lion, Robles, will be rotating days, said the Zoo. Robles is now 18 years old ,and life expectancy is typically just 16.9 years, according to Cameron Park Zoo. "Robles is very strong and independent," said the zoo in a release.
Back in January 2019, Tawakoni and her brothers, Toho and Tanka, were orphaned in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Game officials determined the cubs' mother had died and they would need to be cared for by humans.
Game officials found the cubs and then got in touch with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) to find the cubs a permanent home. "Recovered cubs cannot be returned to the wild," according to South Dakota state protocol.
Toho and Tanka found their home in Oklahoma City, while Cameron Park Zoo decided to give Tawakoni her forever home. Tawakoni has been completing her quarantine, but now she's ready for visitors to the Brazos River Country exhibit.
For more information on visiting Cameron Park Zoo, you can call (254) 750-8400 or visit their website.
