TALLAHASSEE, FL (WTXL) - There are some new residents now calling the Tallahassee Museum home. The museum welcomed the two new 6-month-old cougar cubs after a successful community fundraising effort.
Museum officials say they're thankful so many people stepped up to support their cub cause and were able to bring the animals to new home much faster than they originally planned.
The cubs are part of an exhibit that will open to the public Friday. The museum hopes the two will be able to teach visitors about challenges facing Florida's native wildlife.
Suzie Buzzo explains, "We have these two cougars, they are the same sub-species as the Florida panther, they are all 'puma-concolor'. Sometimes it just depends on where they come from. These guys came from out west; some people call them mountain lions and pumas. It just kind of depends on the range. Here we call them Florida panthers but these guys came from Texas."
The museum says they hope the exhibit will give the public a better understanding of the cougars' role in nature, and the impact they have on the ecosystem.
