Eight paws. Thirty-six claws. And a very worthy cause.

It’s the mission of the Minnesota Zoo to save wildlife. And thanks to our partnership with the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife, we’re helping to save and give a forever home to two orphaned puma cubs.

Blizzard and Snow made their debut on the Medtronic Minnesota Trail on December 30, 2024. The male cubs are approximately 6 months old and were found orphaned in the wild by the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife in November 2024.

Rescued pumas Blizzard (left) and Snow in their habitat on the Medtronic Minnesota Trail on December 31, 2024. The darker spot of fur on Snow’s forehead distinguishes the littermates. Photo: Zookeeper Adam K.

Because of their young age, they did not have the skills to hunt and care for themselves without their mother. After wildlife officials determined they could not successfully be rehabilitated and returned to the wild, they reached out the Minnesota Zoo about moving the pumas here where they could thrive as ambassadors for their species.

The puma is classified as a species of special concern by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and protected by state law. Because wild pumas are so rarely sighted in our state, you can help wildlife conservation scientists by reporting any observations, photos, or videos to the DNR. Learning more about pumas’ movements within Minnesota will help scientists and wildlife managers protect wild populations.

Blizzard and Snow spent their first several weeks at the Zoo in a behind-the-scenes area, under close supervision from our Animal Health and Animal Care teams.

A third cub found with Blizzard and Snow will live at another AZA-accredited zoo with a puma of a similar age. The companionship of another puma is very important for those that cannot be returned to the wild and are in the care of humans.

Biologists also use the term ‘kitten’ for young pumas, but these wild animals are not the same as your domesticated pet kitten at home. At 6 months, puma cubs weigh about 73 pounds and are 4.5 to 5.5 feet in length (including the distinctive long, thick tail that helps them balance as they jump and run). They will likely double in size by the time they are mature males between 2 and 3 years of age!

The puma (Puma concolor) is a large cat native to North, Central, and South America. In in the upper Midwest, it is also commonly called a mountain lion and cougar. Across its huge geographic range, it goes by more than 40 terms including panther and catamount. That earned it a Guinness World Record for the mammal with the most names!

What’s Extra Special About the Species

In addition to their lengthy tails, pumas have very long, strong hind legs. This adaptation allows them to have a vertical leap of 20 to 25 feet.

“Their capability for jumping is really special,” says Bree Barney, Curator of the Minnesota and Tropics Trail. “It’s thrilling to see them spring up the levels of their habitat.”

To survive in the wild and hunt, pumas rely on a keen sense of smell, hearing, and vision. Barney says Zookeepers can add scents to different areas of Blizzard and Snow’s habitat to engage their senses and instincts.  Providing the pumas environmental enrichment like scents, different objects, and surfaces, encourages their natural behaviors and supports wellbeing.

In his first days in his habitat on the Medtronic Minnesota Trail, puma cub Blizzard seems as curious about Zoo guests as they are about him.

Zookeepers and Animal Health staff will continue to build strong relationships with Blizzard and Snow. That connection and trust will help the pumas to voluntarily participate in their own routine care and exams. This can include the pumas learning to step onto scales to record their weight, stretching out their bodies (as cats like to do!) so veterinarians can check their body alignment, and holding steady for blood draws.

Continuing a Legacy

The Minnesota Zoo has four decades of experience caring for pumas and contributing to the Puma Species Survival Plan (SSP), a program of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. The Puma SSP is not a breeding program but instead helps find placement for pumas that cannot survive in the wild. Since 1985, the Minnesota Zoo has welcomed more than a dozen orphaned puma cubs.

Most recently, we had the honor of being the home of another pair of male pumas, also rescued by the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife. Sequim and Landslide were beloved ambassadors since arriving at the Zoo in 2017. Earlier this year, we lost both to ongoing health issues.

Rescued pumas Landslide (left) and Sequim were beloved ambassadors for their species at the Minnesota Zoo, 2017 – 2024. Photo: Zookeeper Adam K.

Landslide was named for the circumstances of his rescue. He was found orphaned after a landslide in Washington in spring 2016 and initially cared for by the Oregon Zoo. He made the journey to his new home at the Minnesota Zoo in early May, where he was introduced to Sequim (named for a place name of the Klallam people). Though not littermates, they were as close as brothers and inseparable companions throughout their lives together.

As we continue to mourn their loss, it holds very special meaning to again join the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife in saving two orphaned pumas.

“It’s a wonderful responsibility and a joy to offer a new beginning to Blizzard and Snow after their rescue,” Barney says. “All of us look forward to seeing them grow and thrive here in Minnesota.”