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Cougars

Meeka

Meeka is a puma that was born on July 1st, 2016, at a zoo in Texas. She came to Panther Ridge Conservation Center at 3 weeks old and was raised with our jaguar cub, Mateo. Meeka delights us every day with her acrobatic antics and playful behavior. She tries to climb every tree and bush, destroying any small plants in her way. Her very favorite spot is up high in a treehouse, where she can nap and have a bird’s eye view of many of the other cats at the center. She is leash trained and loves her morning walks with Mateo and our staff.

She will be a part of our family forever. When Meeka came to Panther Ridge she had beautiful spots and clear blue eyes which have evolved into the sleek beige coat and pale green eyes of an adult puma. Her spots were quite dark as a very young cub –  perfect camouflage for hiding in rock outcroppings or dense brush while her mother would be hunting. Young pumas stay with their mothers for at least 18 months, learning all of the skills that they will need to survive. Pumas are also known as cougars, mountain lions, and Florida panthers.