Tonka ( Mountain Lion)
Felis concolor
Mountain
lions are found in mountainous regions all over North America. They go by many names – cougars, pumas,
panthers, and catamounts. They are big cats
with adult males weighing as much as 200-250 pounds. They are very secretive and solitary
preferring to avoid human contact. Their
main prey is deer though they will eat a wide range of small mammals. Mountain lions are stalkers and can leap
20-23 feet from a standstill. They have
a keen sense of sight especially in dim light-- six times better than humans.
Tonka was trapped as a small cub in the Humboldt region of
California. Despite Fish and Wildlife’s
efforts to return him to his mother, he had to be placed into a permanent
home. He is our mountain lion enclosure
where he can be seen stretched out on his rocks or up in his loft. He enjoys playing ball and pouncing on
anything that moves stealthily.