Risto Ränk believes that the animal seen in Estonian forests is a lynx. He explained that pumas are human-oriented animals that prefer to live with humans. Their behavior resembles that of cats and dogs.
Ränk talked about his puma, Zuum, who lives with him. Zuum sleeps on the sofa or in the bed. He is friendly, but sometimes his tongue can be rough. At night, they don’t cuddle with Zuum to avoid discomfort.
Zuum is about a year old and is a multi-generation pet. He has his own house at the Saaremaa Zoo, but visitors cannot see him yet. Ränk visits Zuum every day, and they communicate with each other.
Ränk explained that a puma’s tongue is different. When Zuum was small, Ränk had to set boundaries for him. He had to bite Zuum to teach him to control his strength.
Ränk also mentioned that Zuum didn’t like cats. Instead, he prefers dogs because they are fun to play with. He doubts that there are other pumas living in Estonian forests. In his opinion, what was seen in the forests is a lynx.
Karmel Ritson, a specialist from the Environmental Board, said that the presence of pumas in Estonian forests has not been proven. Therefore, there is no need to intervene.