It’s not unusual to watch deer leap over fences and through backyards in the suburbs of Washington D.C. I know, I have seen it myself. No matter where you live, whether it is urban or rural, there are usually animals nearby. They were there long before the people were, after all. So, it stands to reason, then, that no matter where you live you are probably going to have a run-in with a wild animal like the man you are about to meet.
Let’s just hope it’s not the same animal we are going to talk about today.
IS THAT EVEN REAL?
Now, we know that Florida has some fascinating animals. A resident of the state, Phil Hendra, found out on one particular day recently that maybe sometimes they are a little too exciting. When he saw what was on his father’s front porch, at first, he couldn’t believe his own eyes.
You see, it was a day like any other. Phil was enjoying a peaceful day with his three children, aged six to twelve. They went to visit Phil’s father in East Fort Myers. They had no idea they were in for a huge surprise.
Image via Phil Hendra Facebook
OH, MY GOODNESS!
As the family enjoyed a quiet afternoon together, they noticed the dogs outside seemed a little louder than usual. They didn’t think much of it, though, until Phil’s son, Philip Jr. saw what he called a “funny dog” outside. Still not thinking it was a big deal, Phil got up to check it out.
It was about that time he got the shock of a lifetime.
Image via Boredom Therapy
As Phil walked towards the door, he quickly realized that was no dog. Instead, he was looking at some sort of cat, and it was not small. He backed away from the window slowly and ran to grab his camera. Luckily he did because now the rest of us get to see the glorious sight.
FLORIDA PANTHER
It turned out, that what Phil was looking at was an incredibly rare sight, a Florida Panther. These beautiful cats are in the Cougar family, and they are native to Florida. Seeing one is so unique because, unfortunately, there are not many left in the wild.
Image via Boredom Therapy
Since the chance was such a rare one, Phil kept snapping away. It was then that the panther heard the click of the camera and turned around. Just look, though, that is one gorgeous cat, and he smiled as soon as he noticed Phil.
Image via Boredom Therapy
Panthers, like most big cats, can be incredibly dangerous. Sadly, since humans are encroaching on their territory, run-ins like these don’t always end so well. These cats especially like to enter yards that have small pets. So Phil was incredibly gentle so as not to startle the cat or make it think he was a threat.
Image via Boredom Therapy
Luckily, this time the panther didn’t seem to want anything other than to take a few photographs. Eventually, the cat wandered away on its next adventure.
Do you have a close encounter story like this one? Tell us about it in the comments.
Featured Image via MyFWCmedia on VisualHunt.com / CC BY-ND
Upvote Downvote
Total votes: 6
Upvotes: 6
Upvotes percentage: 100.000000%
Downvotes: 0
Downvotes percentage: 0.000000%