New Rescued (and Adorable) Puma Kitten Makes Public Debut at the Minnesota Zoo

Apple Valley, MINN – July 3, 2017 – The Minnesota Zoo is excited to welcome a new male puma kitten to the Medtronic Minnesota Trail. Zoo guests will be able to view “Landslide” exploring the puma habitat daily from 9 am until approximately 1 pm. He will rotate with the Zoo’s slightly older male puma, “Sequim,” who was also orphaned and rescued from the wild.

“We are excited about giving our guests a chance to see this energetic young male puma kitten on the Minnesota Trail,” says Tom Ness, curator for the Tropics and Medtronic Minnesota Trails. “We take our mission to save wildlife very seriously here at the Minnesota Zoo and we are so grateful we are able to provide him with a great home.”

The male puma kitten was found orphaned after a landslide in NE Washington earlier this spring and initially cared for by the Oregon Zoo. He made the journey to his new home at the Minnesota Zoo in early May and Zoo veterinarians have been caring for the kitten behind the scenes to ensure he is healthy and stable. The kitten is scheduled to finish his last round of kitten vaccines later this week, but vet staff and zookeepers are happy he is thriving in his new home.

This is the second successful puma (kitten) public debut for the Minnesota Zoo this year. An older puma that was also orphaned and rescued as a young kitten outside the Port Angeles, Washington area made his public debut along the Medtronic Minnesota Trail earlier this year. The Medtronic Minnesota Trail is also home to several other rescued animals such as three black bears, five gray wolves, a bald eagle, a porcupine and more.

The Puma habitat is sponsored by The Goddard School.

Fun Animal Facts:

• Probably due to their wide range across North and South America, pumas have multiple names they are known by, including cougar and mountain lion.
• Pumas can run up to 43 mph, jump more than 20 feet from standing, and leap up to 16 feet straight up.
• Although pumas can make a wide range of cat noises (hisses, growls, purrs), they cannot roar. Instead, they are known for their distinctive “scream-like” calls during mating, but are often extremely stealthy and go unheard.

The Minnesota Zoo is a year-round destination located in Apple Valley, just minutes south of Mall of America. The Zoo’s mission is to connect people, animals and the natural world to save wildlife. For more information, call 952.431.9500 or visit mnzoo.org. The Minnesota Zoo is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and an institutional member of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA).