LEE COUNTY, Fla. – When people spotted a cat sleeping behind a bush they quickly realized it wasn’t a house cat. The Lee County Sheriff’s office said it was a Florida Panther.
They said the Bonita Springs Community Policing deputies were called out to Bonita National Country Club in Bonita Springs around 9:45 a.m. after someone reported it was sleeping near a stairwell behind some bushes.
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Florida Fish and Wildlife officers came out to help capture the animal. In the pictures shared online, you can see officials carrying the animal in what appears to be a vinyl tarp with straps. Later the animal can be seen inside of a metal cage.
Deputies say it will undergo a health screening and be relocated to its natural habitat.
According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission panthers are listed as an Endangered Species. They have been seen throughout much of the state and parts of Georgia. Experts estimate there are 120-230 adult panthers.
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