If you wish to know about the MALAKAS Project, go to Timothy Soro's entry here for more info about the project.

Description:
Zuma was born an excellent swimmer with no knowledge of why his family and he migrated from Cuba into Florida, but it was certain to his childhood friends back in Havana and his schoolmates back in Miami, that he often risked himself to save those from drowning, making a suitable candidate for a more competent lifeguard. However, he was known to have no lasting goals in mind, just simply satisfied with doing his job as a bodybuilder. One day, his parents got luck through winning a lottery ticket that would eventually make them rich, rich enough to move to Santa Monica, California. While most of his family were quick to adapt and embrace the posh lifestyle, Zuma remained indecisive and decided to work as a lifeguard at the Malibu Beach instead, because at this point he felt no benefit worth reaping from that lucky ticket.

One day, the news spread across California that the Canadian town of Adventure Bay had sunken into the sea due to an earthquake. Naturally, he felt obligated to save those people from possible drowning, given the very news of the situation, only to be disappointed albeit relieved that no one had fallen into the sea and the majority were brought to the city of Santo Tomas in California. Even though he had wasted money and time to go to Canada, he only had stopped right in central Oregon when he received the news, but his supposed route was also the direction of evacuees going from Adventure Bay down to Santo Tomas, so out of his original obligation, he joined them as he began catering to their needs during their arduous trip. Among the said refugees was one of the three future founders of PAW Patrol, specifically Ryder the Monkey. Impressed with such a motive, the North family (who agreed to desigdate the city as the new evacuation haven) directly paid him handsomely, only for the brown dog to give the well-earned cash to charities dedicated to having new homes built for refugees right in Santo Tomas. Eventually, Zuma returned to Santa Monica to continue his regular lifeguard duties, though no one else there recognized his efforts in calming the Adventure Bay refugees, a kind of attention Zuma wouldn't care.

In mid-June 2022, the PAW Patrol (founded inside the mountain base back in January in the said year) was still underemployed, and so Ryder decided to scout for potential members, those capable enough in certain physical activities. Looking through the scouting report, Ryder recognized Zuma, not only due to his numerous urges to save people from drowning (and rightfully so), but also due to the dog's active presence in assisting the crippled monkey. Now wanting to repay that dog for his kindness, Ryder opted to pay on Zuma's behalf, further wishing to have him join the MALAKAS Project and the PAW Patrol as well. Soon the scout reached to Zuma, who had just saved his grandfather through CPR, and persuaded him that by joining the said project would he become a stronger and faster lifeguard, which was more than enough to save people from drowning. Following further convinced by his familty, Zuma relented and got brought into the mountain base a week later.

However, despite being now the PAW Patroller, Zuma began spending most of his time monitoring the nearby lake, a quite low water body compared to the moderately elevated hill that stationed the main mountain base for the MALAKAS Project. That lake also served as the only place to swim and float for recruits, so there could be a chance of water-related accidents, even under Zuma's watch. During development of his progress, he rewarded a hoverboard that allowed him to quickly traverse into accident sites where he could work on, but only on land. The sailboard on the other hand became an upgrade that expended his emergency response to even the deeper water areas, though Zuma resorted to harpoons in defense/offense as well.

On the day after he was granted the instructorship for his efforts, he continued his lifeguard duties once again at the lake, only to notice a land vehicle going haywire on the opposite side. As it crashed into the grove, Zuma went as fast as he could to deal with the situation, as everyone else present at the lake were too busy to care, only for the brown dog find its driver unconscious.

Zuma owned by PAW Patrol under Nickelodeon

MALAKAS Project 2023:
Lola Bunny (Alt) || Dylan Dalmatian (Alt) || Miguel Picoblancos (Alt) || Damian Dalmatiër (Alt) || Ezra Sabertooth (Alt) || Skye Cockapoo (Alt) || Kathleen "Kate" Alpha (Alt, Special) || Dixie Dame D'noir (Alt, Special) || Angel Megara-Dear (Alt, Special) || Chase Alsatian (Alt) || Figaro Draconus "Figment" Epsilon (Alt)) || Howell Red Codsworth (Alt) || Cobalt Acerbolt (Alt) || Sven Anderson (Alt) || Marshall Fahey (Alt) || Lead Professional 01 (Alt) || August Tarantino (Alt) || Patru Coq'et Serrure (Alt) || Carro Santiago (Alt) || Solson Anderson-Blues (Alt) || Hendric Austinfields (Alt) || Roswell "Rocky" Slate (Alt) || Rogers "Rubble" Davidson (Alt) || Aldo Kucinoklat (Alt) || Nathan Adams || Ken Heinz Kentarus (Alt) || Zuma Alcazar (Alt) || Billy Marlin (Alt) || Clark Cubbingstein (Alt) || Phillie Phanatic (Alt)

Click here for the 2020 Edition
Click here for the 2021 Edition
Click here for the 2022 Edition