Meshaka was born in Worcester to Lebanese-American parents of Melkite Catholic Christian heritage.
in Biology in 1988 from Arkansas State University,[4] and completed his Ph.D. in 1994 at the Florida International University[5] His primary focus is on North American and exotic amphibians and reptiles with a strong connection to the herpetofauna of southern Florida.
[2][6] J. Whitfield Gibbons noted, "Meshaka’s thoughtful afterword on exotic species introductions to Florida offers some achievable solutions for controlling the influx of more herpetofauna.".
[7] He published four pocket field guides with Joseph T. Collins largely "intended to raise public awareness".
[10] A long-term mark-recapture study of the ten species of snakes occurring at the preserve has ensued since 2002.