Florida State wildlife officials have expressed concern regarding a number of panthers and bobcats that have observably been acting strange recently.
The animals are said to be walking in an unusual manner that has led experts to believe that they might be suffering from some form of poisoning reported News-Press.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation spokeswoman Carli Segelson said, “We have not seen anything like this in wild panthers or bobcats in Florida before.”
Panthers—the official animal of Florida state—are protected under the Endangered Species Act as well as state laws, causing concern to officials over the recent anomaly.
After conducting tests on a panther and bobcat, officials discovered that both animals showed signs of neurological damage.
“While we do not know what is causing the abnormal gait, possible causes include a variety of toxins and infectious diseases, many of which have been ruled out,” said Segelson.
“The affected animals that we have had in hand have not had distemper.”
Gil McRae, director of the Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, says both state and federal agencies are working together to investigate the recent phenomenon.
“While the number of animals exhibiting these symptoms is relatively few, we are increasing monitoring efforts to determine the full scope of the issue,” said McRae in a press release.
“Numerous diseases and possible causes have been ruled out; a definitive cause has not yet been determined.
“We’re working with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and a wide array of experts from around the world to determine what is causing this condition,” she added.
The press release also mentions that “as of August 2019, the FWC has confirmed neurological damage in one panther and one bobcat.
UNITED STATES: ‘Not seen anything like this’: Stumbling panthers may have been poisoned. It’s stumping Florida officials. https://t.co/vTijZWV7as via @Yahoo
— BullfightBanUS (@BullfightBanUS) August 21, 2019
“Additionally, trail camera footage has captured eight panthers (mostly kittens) and one adult bobcat displaying varying degrees of this condition.
“Videos of affected cats were collected from multiple locations in Collier, Lee and Sarasota counties, and at least one panther photographed in Charlotte County could also have been affected.
“The FWC has been reviewing videos and photographs from other areas occupied by panthers but to date the condition appears to be localized as it is only documented in three general areas.”
Segelson says that while the number isn’t high, any amount of neurological damage is cause for concern.
“The number of animals exhibiting these symptoms is relatively few; however, any disease or condition impacting multiple animals is cause for concern,” said Segelson.
“We are increasing monitoring efforts to determine the full scope of the issue.”
A Similar Occurrence
In Wisconsin earlier this year, it was discovered that family pets, coyotes and many types of wildlife had died after eating meat mixed with insecticide.
Authorities issued a warning informing people that someone had been intentionally poisoning meat and leaving it for animals to feed on near the Upper Peninsula’s border with Wisconsin, reported Michigan Live (MLive).
The @WDNR said people should keep their dogs on a leash and report any suspicious activity to the DNR tip line at 1-800-TIP-WDNR or reporting it online. https://t.co/eYDUN3mn8S
— WPR (@WPR) April 19, 2019
“Dog deaths have occurred in Bayfield, Marinette and Florence County; however, it is unknown if other counties could be involved,” said a recent statement from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the U.S. Forest Service.
“In addition to the unfortunate poisoning of these family pets, investigators also found dead coyotes, weasels, raccoons, and one wolf that they suspect also were poisoned. Lab tests are underway to confirm the cause of death in these wildlife cases,” the statement said.
The deaths occurred on public lands that include lands managed by the U.S. Forest Service and Goodman Timber Company, according to the statement released by the Marinette County Sheriff’s office on Facebook.
