Two young cougars rescued in South Dakota went on public view Monday at the Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens in Sanford.
The siblings, a male named Takoda and a female named Juniper, were found without their mother when they were about two to three weeks old, according to the zoo. Too young to survive in the wild, they were deemed non-releasable and came to the Sanford zoo in June.
After several months of care behind the scenes, the zoo announced Oct. 19 that the pair is now in its habitat where guests can see them.
Keepers say the two are easy to tell apart. Takoda has a more silver coat and a friendly streak; his name is said to mean "friend to everyone." Juniper's fur is more golden, and the zoo describes her as the more energetic of the two, always ready to wrestle her brother.
Her name comes from the juniper, a hardy tree that grows in South Dakota, the cubs' birthplace.
"They each have such distinct personalities, and we're excited for our guests to see them on habitat," zoo CEO Richard Glover said in the announcement.
