Big cat seen prowling Hunter's Green

The Tampa subdivision hires a trapper and urges residents to be cautious.

By DAVID PEDREIRA and CARY DAVIS

© St. Petersburg Times, published April 20, 2000

TAMPA -- Golfers who slice tee shots into the woods at Hunter's Green Country Club might want to think twice about hunting for the ball.

There are those who say a wild Florida panther or a mountain lion may be lurking in the palmettos.

At least two residents have seen a large cat prowling the upscale community in the past few weeks, prompting the Hunter's Green Community Association to hire a trapper and print a flier urging caution.

Since both witnesses said the cat weighed more than 100 pounds, wildlife officials believe it could be a panther. Bobcats are often mistaken for panthers but don't get larger than 40 pounds.

"There's always a possibility that it's a panther, because there is a lot of land to travel out there," said Mike Cundiff, a wildlife officer with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. "But any Florida panther sighting is unusual. They're real sneaky and they hunt at night."

The Florida panther, or Felis concolor, is an endangered relative of the western mountain lion. Panthers usually don't roam north of Highlands County. Fewer than 100 of the large cats are believed to exist in the wild.

After hearing of the sightings, wildlife officials checked whether anyone near Tampa had lost a captive panther, also known as pumas, cougars or mountain lions. But the only person in the area with permits to keep large cats had both safely in their pens, Cundiff said.

The sightings have created a stir in Hunter's Green, a gated community where homes can run well over $1-million.

Both encounters occurred in Heritage Oaks, the toniest subdivision in the community. A woman looked out her window to see the large cat rolling around in her back yard. Another saw the beast as she pulled into her driveway.

"We take this very seriously," said Ann Johnson, manager of the community association. "We're doing everything that has been recommended to us by Florida wildlife (officers) and the police."

Hunter's Green juts into a large conservation area known as Flatwoods Park. A home to deer and wild hogs and turkey, the park is a perfect hunting ground for a roaming cat, Cundiff said.

Panthers have been known to trek as far as 120 miles in search of food.

Wildlife officials don't believe the cat presents a danger to residents, but urge anyone who spots the beast to keep their distance and try to snap a photograph.

"Leave it alone," Cundiff said. "You don't want to get near it."

Vernon Yates, a Seminole-based trapper who runs Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation, believes whatever was in the community may now be gone. No one has seen the cat in 10 days, Yates said, and wildlife officers have failed to find any tracks.

Still, Yates spent Wednesday looking for a live rooster as bait to trap the cat.

"I've been in this business long enough to believe anything until I see otherwise," Yates said.

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