Rare panther cub discovered at Sakata Florida research station

By Doug Ohlemeier February 02, 2016

On Jan. 18, employees at Sakata Seed America Inc.’s Fort Myers, Fla., research station found this rare male panther kitten abandoned and sleeping in one of the research station’s fields. Though other wildlife, including alligators, bears and cranes, frequently visit the facility, this discovery was different because Florida panthers are an endangered species and the kitten was young and alone.

Photo by Sakata Seed America

Sakata Seed America Inc.’s Fort Myers, Fla., research station was recently visited by an unusual visitor.

On Jan. 18, Sakata employees performing field maintenance found a male panther kitten abandoned and sleeping in one of the research station’s fields.

Though other wildlife, including alligators, bears and cranes frequently visit the facility, this discovery was different because Florida panthers are an endangered species and the kitten was young and alone, according to a news release from Sakata, Morgan Hill, Calif., company.

Sakata alerted wildlife officials and transported the kitten to the Naples, Fla., zoo, which recently constructed a facility specifically designed to provide housing for injured or orphaned panthers.
After the cat’s capture, Sakata opened its doors to tracking and monitoring by wildlife authorities. They concluded the panther was most likely lost during a rare encounter of two mothers with kittens in the field and the animal attempted to leave with the wrong mother.

Cats younger than six months are generally not released back into the wild because they lack sufficient survival skills, according to the release.

“We are in awe of the robust wildlife here at the Sakata Seed America Research Station, and it makes us appreciate the fact that agriculture and wildlife can not only coexist, but flourish together,” Randy Johnson, Sakata’s Florida station branch manager, said in the release. “We consider ourselves lucky to be able to witness evidence of such a majestic and endangered animal procreating on our property, and whenever we see something like this, we know we are being good stewards of the environment.”

About a year ago, Sakata employees began finding more panther tracks in the fields and — perhaps not by coincidence — fewer raccoons were eating their crops.

source