When a Florida man looked outside of his father’s home, he was shocked and terrified to see a panther hanging out on the porch.
The incident, which happened in East Fort Myers on March 18, shocked Phil Hendra. Fortunately, he had enough sense to snap a photo of the endangered cat. The image was shared with the Fish and Wildlife Research Institute and has since gone viral.
“[The panther] stayed for about 20 minutes and laid down for a bit,” Hendra told the Fish and Wildlife Research Institute. “It looked at us inside the window then slowly walked away, and we have not seen it since. My parents have lived here since 1988 and they may have seen a younger panther about two years ago, but nothing compares to this once in a lifetime experience.”
Once the image was published to social media, it went viral. Hendra photographed a truly irreplaceable moment.
These big cats are severely endangered. According to the National Wildlife Federation, less than 100 Florida panthers exist in the wild.
If you do see one, they’ll be about 6 to 7 feet long. They live up to 12 years.
