Panthers at WDW?

[TowMater92]

doesnt quite look like the bobcat I have seen. Maybe its young? It has more spots than the ones I have seen. couldnt tell how much a tail it has? our bobcats are more tan and no tail and I think tassled ears?

It looks more like a bobcat then a cougar but I'm with you it does look different. My friends family has a picture of one that was in their driveway at their cabin years ago and it just looks different then that picture. The one here looks stockier? We are in WA state and it was winter so the fur was probably a lot thicker so maybe that has something to do with it and maybe food/habitat have something to do with it but it still looks quite a bit like the one here.

 

[Art 1]

Only 100? I didn't know that. We live in Ft Myers and used to live in Lehigh Acres and we saw this in our back yard. DH ran outside and took this (like a nutjob ) and took this picture. I think it's a panther. We've seen quite a few of these over the years. Always in rural areas. We also had a black bear come up and bang on our garage door when we lived in Lehigh. The house was in the middle of nowhere. Anyway, here's the panther that was in our backyard-

That's a bobcat.

 

[betmust]

As you are driving down the road the heads to where you pay to park at the MK you can see the monorail on your right. The wild boars can be seen in that area. Along with turkeys and deer. So the same area you are talking about.

There are a lot of wild hogs in the area. There is a dump in Seminole County that has a gun range close by. There are thousands and thousands of them in that area. For a while they were encouraging people to go out there and hunt them. They are not native and can be hunted year round, I think.

Thanks for explaining that. I will be there next week and will have to keep my eyes open for them...

 

[aaarcher86]

Only 100? I didn't know that. We live in Ft Myers and used to live in Lehigh Acres and we saw this in our back yard. DH ran outside and took this (like a nutjob ) and took this picture. I think it's a panther. We've seen quite a few of these over the years. Always in rural areas. We also had a black bear come up and bang on our garage door when we lived in Lehigh. The house was in the middle of nowhere. Anyway, here's the panther that was in our backyard-

THAT is adorable.

I would name him Captain Cuddles.

 

[Zooshoveller]

The Florida Panther is a subspecies of cougar. Very few left. Only found in southern Florida.

Cougars are found in AL & MS (and many other states). I personally have seen two in different areas outside Montgomery. A friend who has game cameras on the AL/MS border has images of cougar/s.

Bobcats and Lynx do not have long tails. More of a nub. Lynx are usually more grey and "fluffier" as they are built for colder climates.

It still very well could be an escaped/freed exotic like a jag, leopard, jaguarundi...

 

[Muffy]

A panther has been spotted in Celebration recently so I wouldn't be surprised if one was near Disney. Panther's have been seen in the Kissimmee area off and on for years. A tagged Panther's was killed by a car in Kissimmee a few years ago so they are around.

 

[SHISHI]

Couldn't have been...because of the NHL lockout!!! LOL!!

This is how I have to amuse myself. I miss hockey!!! Not quite as I miss WDW, 300 more days til my trip!!

 

[jtowntoflorida]

THAT is adorable.

I would name him Captain Cuddles.

Until it ate your family pet.

I agree, though, that Captain Cuddles is definitely a bobcat. I saw one at my house (far, far away from FL) last winter. It was really cool to see one so close--but from the safety of the house--but I was nervous to let my dog out that night. I like to observe nature, but not feed it.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

Until it ate your family pet.

.

sigh. This is always brought up in my area anytime someone mentions wildlife.

I think free roaming pets are far more likely to get killed by car traffic than wild cats. I'd also bet cars kill far more wildcats anually that wildcats kill pets in the USA.

Then there's this whole theme park planted in the middle of what used to be open land....

 

[ZoZo]

Only 100? I didn't know that. We live in Ft Myers and used to live in Lehigh Acres and we saw this in our back yard. DH ran outside and took this (like a nutjob ) and took this picture. I think it's a panther. We've seen quite a few of these over the years. Always in rural areas. We also had a black bear come up and bang on our garage door when we lived in Lehigh. The house was in the middle of nowhere. Anyway, here's the panther that was in our backyard-

Yep, looks like a young bobcat. Bobcat fur is much more spotty than lynx fur (and lynxes are found in the northern states and Canada, not Florida). Both bobcats and lynxes have black ear tufts on the ends of their ears, and short "bobbed" tails. But the easiest way to tell the difference between a bobcat and a lynx, besides their spots (bobcats) vs. no spots (lynx) is the size of their paws. Lynxes have huge "snowshoe" paws because they live in snowy places, and their main diet is the snowshoe hare (a type of rabbit). Their huge paws help them stay on top of the snow, acting like snowshoes. Bobcats are much broader in their diets, and will eat just about any kind of mammal for food. They're often found around populated areas because they can prey on people's dogs and cats!

BTW, I volunteer at a zoo, and one of the animals I'm around a lot is a Canada Lynx. He's very cool, and as another poster stated, they're very "fluffy" because they need thick fur to keep warm in snowy climates.

 

[Art 1]

sigh. This is always brought up in my area anytime someone mentions wildlife.

I think free roaming pets are far more likely to get killed by car traffic than wild cats. I'd also bet cars kill far more wildcats anually that wildcats kill pets in the USA.

Then there's this whole theme park planted in the middle of what used to be open land....

All buildings are where what used to be open land.

 

[Oephelia]

Photo posted previously is definitely a bobcat cub/immature... no question. (Wildlife biologist here)

If y'all want reference pics...
Immature Cougar:ww.randomnotions.com/cougar-cub-oregon.jpg
Immature Bobcat: karidawn.files.wordpress.com/2011/09/quincey-and-pixie3.jpg

That said, it is possible the OP saw a darker phase Panther/cougar/puma, 'though the sighting would be a rare one. Here is a pic: www .flickr.com/photos/stubb54/407329819/