CARLSBAD — An orphaned mountain lion cub rescued by a hunter in Washington has found a home in southern New Mexico. Zia was discovered last October stumbling through rows of wheat stubble. So dehydrated, she could hardly make a sound and was too weak to stand. Dave Garnetti of Davenport, Wash., said he and a friend had driven through hundreds of acres of wheat fields scouting for deer when they spotted the tiny creature. They got out of their truck and approached, surprised to find that it was a baby mountain lion. Garnetti said they were shocked because such encounters are extremely rare. And the men were nervous, expecting the cub's mother to be near The mother was nowhere to be found, and the cub's condition indicated something had likely happened to her. They knew the cub wouldn't survive the cold or the coyotes that were in the area. Garnetti wrapped the cub in his jacket and placed her in his backpack and headed back to town. He and his family nursed the animal back to health before turning it over to authorities with the Washington Game and Fish Department. "This little cougar miracle became part of our families, playing with our dogs and kids and even sleeping in bed with us," he told the Carlsbad Current-Argus in a letter. His wife, a registered nurse, used a syringe to feed the cub powdered kitten formula. Within days, the cub was drinking 8 ounces at a time Now, it is a healthy 30-pound cat with a thick coat. — AP
