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fishon
05-19-2014, 10:41 AM
My wife and I had a big cat cross the road in front of our car in Wildwood.
It happened on 301 south of CR44 at the first drainage culvert.
The cat was as big as a German Shepard and light brown.

I've heard them in the mountains back in NY but never saw one before.
gomoho
05-19-2014, 11:27 AM
I saw that same cat, but further down 301 - headed towards I75
zcaveman
05-19-2014, 11:45 AM
Maybe a Florida Panther?

z
kittygilchrist
05-19-2014, 12:00 PM
I've seen a bobcat over there.
http://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/profiles/mammals/land/bobcat/
fishon
05-20-2014, 11:14 AM
It was definitely not a bobcat. I've seen a few of those.
I'm going to go with Florida Panther, even though it is well north of its usual habitat.
justjim
05-20-2014, 11:29 AM
Some say a couple years ago there was a black bear in The Villages. There are a couple of Threads with photos----some think it was a hoax.

The size of cat you saw is a big cat! I would not want to meet up with it on one of our night walks.
kittygilchrist
05-20-2014, 11:38 AM
If you saw a panther this far north, it would be of extreme interest to state fish and wildlife. There are thought to be under 160 of them left and they are all thought to be further south.
"most endangered species in eastern U.S."
Home - Florida Panther - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (http://www.fws.gov/refuge/florida_panther/)
kittygilchrist
05-20-2014, 11:52 AM
WEC 145/UW144: Did I see a panther? (http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/uw144)
Chi-Town
05-20-2014, 12:12 PM
If you saw a panther this far north, it would be of extreme interest to state fish and wildlife. There are thought to be under 160 of them left and they are all thought to be further south.
"most endangered species in eastern U.S."
Home - Florida Panther - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (http://www.fws.gov/refuge/florida_panther/)

In Illinois there hadn't been any cougars in the state for150 years. In the last five years two have made their way there, one as far as Chicago. The wildlife authorities never got a chance to do their thing. Both were shot dead by the police. Hopefully, Florida has a different plan in place for big cats.
CFrance
05-20-2014, 12:13 PM
WEC 145/UW144: Did I see a panther? (http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/uw144)
Here, Kitty Kitty!
EnglishJW
05-20-2014, 08:07 PM
WEC 145/UW144: Did I see a panther? (http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/uw144)

Thanks for the information.
DougB
05-20-2014, 09:55 PM
My wife and I had a big cat cross the road in front of our car in Wildwood.
It happened on 301 south of CR44 at the first drainage culvert.
The cat was as big as a German Shepard and light brown.

I've heard them in the mountains back in NY but never saw one before.

I'm a pawed! I prey no one gets eaten by it. That would be a catastrophe.