Panthers at WDW?

[Art 1]

Trying to picture where you are saying about the pigs and I can't. Can you explain a little. I see deer at dusk and just after along the road going to the entrance gate to MK. We stay at Fort Wilderness and see tons of deer. I would like to see one of the wild pigs - from a distance of course...

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.

 

[Luv2CtheMouse]

We had a printed notice in our FW cabin last week saying that a black bear had been seen in the area and that they were working to find and relocate it safely. Maybe that was it? Of course, a bear wouldn't have a tail, though...

havent you ever seen a Disney movie? Disney animals can do anything - they can cook food, talk and have jobs.....so a bear could very well have a tail.

 

[Art 1]

I have seen several wild pigs, similar to the pic below, around WDW property and Winter Garden.

There ya go. I have seen a number of wolves/coyotes in your area.

 

[grimgrinnin]

Chupacabra!

 

[TowMater92]

The National Wildlife Federation says there are less then 100 panthers left in the wild and they only live in the southwest tip of Florida. Also they are tan in color with black tips on the tail, ears and snout. So unless one got lost(must be a tourist) and dyes its hair(costume for MNSSHP?) I doubt you saw one. Sorry for the bad news.

 

[TowMater92]

Near the monorail I have seen, many deer, armadillos, hogs, rabbits, turkeys and twice a wolf/coyote and once a bobcat.

The only wolf that has been in Florida is the red wolf and it went extinct in the wild in 1980 and was re-introduced in North Carolina in 1987 I don't think it has made it back to Florida yet. Everything I've read says there are about 100 red wolves in the wild but they are only in eastern North Carolina. Its also hard to tell the difference between a red wolf and a coyote since they basically have the same color. Scientist actually think the red wolf is a hybrid of the grey wolf and coyote. So you're more then likely seeing a coyote.

 

[MJMcBride]

The only wolf that has been in Florida is the red wolf and it went extinct in the wild in 1980 and was re-introduced in North Carolina in 1987 I don't think it has made it back to Florida yet. Everything I've read says there are about 100 red wolves in the wild but they are only in eastern North Carolina. Its also hard to tell the difference between a red wolf and a coyote since they basically have the same color. Scientist actually think the red wolf is a hybrid of the grey wolf and coyote. So you're more then likely seeing a coyote.

All correct. There are no red wolves in Florida. There are no gray wolves either.

If you saw something similiar it was either a feral dog or a coyote

 

[Art 1]

The only wolf that has been in Florida is the red wolf and it went extinct in the wild in 1980 and was re-introduced in North Carolina in 1987 I don't think it has made it back to Florida yet. Everything I've read says there are about 100 red wolves in the wild but they are only in eastern North Carolina. Its also hard to tell the difference between a red wolf and a coyote since they basically have the same color. Scientist actually think the red wolf is a hybrid of the grey wolf and coyote. So you're more then likely seeing a coyote.

Thank you. I wan't sure which it was. Florida panthers have recently been as far north as Central Florida. I think one was hit and killed by a car not too long ago in this area. I have saw one once, captive. Very impressive.

 

[castmemberb4]

I'm leaning toward coyote or hog, as some others have mentioned Florida panters are tan and they are also long legged creatures. Friends of mine saw one in South Florida last year and he was so tall that his body was window height on their car. Interestingly they saw it in a neighborhood.
I live in suburban Atlanta and we have Coyotes, we even see them mid day, in our yards ! They are pretty short legged.

 

[1stvisit0909]

The National Wildlife Federation says there are less then 100 panthers left in the wild and they only live in the southwest tip of Florida. Also they are tan in color with black tips on the tail, ears and snout. So unless one got lost(must be a tourist) and dyes its hair(costume for MNSSHP?) I doubt you saw one. Sorry for the bad news.

Bull. They say this to keep people from looking for them, but they are spotted in south Alabama and MS too. MS wildlife agency recently confirmed some in south ms swamps.

 

[lynypixie]

Are you sure it wasn't a hockey player looking for a job?

 

[MJMcBride]

I'm leaning toward coyote or hog, as some others have mentioned Florida panters are tan and they are also long legged creatures. Friends of mine saw one in South Florida last year and he was so tall that his body was window height on their car. Interestingly they saw it in a neighborhood.
I live in suburban Atlanta and we have Coyotes, we even see them mid day, in our yards ! They are pretty short legged.

I think in all likelihood it was a cat. Without proper prespective or at certaun angles, people often mistake animals for being a lot larger than the actually are

In England, for example, there are legends for black panthers roaming the countryside. They are almost always black cats that the person thought was bigger.

 

[Mamato3Princes]

The National Wildlife Federation says there are less then 100 panthers left in the wild and they only live in the southwest tip of Florida. Also they are tan in color with black tips on the tail, ears and snout. So unless one got lost(must be a tourist) and dyes its hair(costume for MNSSHP?) I doubt you saw one. Sorry for the bad news.

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-

 

[AprilLizbeth]

Mamato3princes- that is a bobcat. They are pretty prevalent in Florida. Still neat wildlife though!

 

[pickles]

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-

Here kitty kitty! LOL..your kitty you saw reminds me of this commercial

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZOeWFBy75A


and good pic, glad you stayed safe too!!

 

[Mamato3Princes]

Mamato3princes- that is a bobcat. They are pretty prevalent in Florida. Still neat wildlife though!

Ohhhh! See, I'm glad I posted it bc we had no idea . Thanks for telling me!

Here kitty kitty! LOL..your kitty you saw reminds me of this commercial

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZOeWFBy75A


and good pic, glad you stayed safe too!!

That commercial cracks me up every time!

 

[pickles]

Mamato3princes- that is a bobcat. They are pretty prevalent in Florida. Still neat wildlife though!

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?

 

[OhioStateBuckeye]

Don't really think it was a cat. I had the body of water and some trees to judge it's size.

 

[TowMater92]

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 looks like a bobcat with it spots I could be wrong but I can't see a tail? Still a cool sight to see any cat, my friend has a picture they took at his families cabin of a bobcat that came in one winter and was standing in the driveway.

 

[TowMater92]

Bull. They say this to keep people from looking for them, but they are spotted in south Alabama and MS too. MS wildlife agency recently confirmed some in south ms swamps.

Check out the link below its from May 2012, we have big foot sightings here in the NW doesn't make it real. There hasn't been a confirmed panther in Mississippi in over 100 years. Also cats are the hardest animal to find and even if you look for them it doesn't mean you will ever see one in your life. So I like your rude comment to me of "bull" I actually looked things up because I was curious what the op might have seen maybe you should do the same.
http://www.articlesbase.com/nature-articles/florida-panthers-in-mississippi-5944307.html