TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Lowry Park Zoo Cares For Panther Cub

Julie Busch/The Tampa Tribune

Calusa, a 2-month-old Florida panther cub, stalks anything she can get her paws on during her playtime at Lowry Park Zoo.

ADVERTISEMENT

Lenora Lake, Tribune correspondent

Published: September 11, 2007

Updated: 09/11/2007 03:37 pm

Photo Gallery

TAMPA - An abandoned, 2-month-old Florida panther being raised at the Lowry Park Zoo should be "an ambassador for her species," say zoo staff members caring for her.

Calusa, named after an American Indian tribe, has grown from about 2 pounds to 10 pounds since the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission placed the spotted cub with the zoo Aug. 8.

For the past month, zoo veterinary staff members have been feeding the cub known as Lucy (first with a bottle and now with solid food), treating her for parasites, checking a laceration on her head to be sure it is healing and monitoring her growth. For almost three weeks, one of the staff members had to take her home at night. She now stays by herself in the animal hospital.

David Murphy, the zoo's veterinarian, said the wildlife commission is expected to approve putting her on display at the zoo on West Sligh Avenue. She could go on display in six to eight weeks.

It would be almost impossible to successfully reintroduce the panther to the wild because of her hand-raising, he said.

"In about a year, she will be at the height of her game. I am sure she will represent her species well," Murphy said Tuesday.

Lucy was one in a litter of four in the Big Cypress Swamp found by wildlife officers, who monitor the animals, which were placed on the endangered species list in 1967.

Scientists estimate there are up to 100 panthers in Florida, most roaming about 2.5 million acres in South Florida. Two decades ago, before the Panther Recovery Project began, there were only about 30.

When wildlife officers checked on the litter, they found the mother had moved three of the cubs and left Lucy behind, said Angie Jones, a certified veterinary technician who is helping with her care.

"They found her lethargic, thin and with a big laceration on her head. A small-animal vet stabilized her and sewed up the cut," Jones said. "Then she was brought here."

She now eats meat with kitten formula poured over it. She is fed every two to three hours. Twice a day, she is taken to a wooded area near the animal hospital to play. She tries to climb trees, sharpens her claws on logs, bats palm fronds and "stalks" her caretakers. She has begun to "hiss" when picked up and doesn't like to be held, members of the zoo staff said.

"She's tough as nails," Jones said. "It really takes two people to watch her. It's amazing how they have the wild instinct."

The blue-eyed cub, with hair that feels like a domestic cat's hair, should lose her spots when she is about 6 months old and become a tawny color. She should be mature at 1 year old and weigh between 100 and 120 pounds. The cat would not be used for breeding, as "captive breeding is not part of the Panther Recovery Program," which brought Texas cougars into Florida to improve the reproduction rate, Murphy said.

A female, Cory, was brought to the zoo about 16 years ago and died within the past year. Tim, a male the zoo acquired, is about 16 or 17 years old and is not expected to live much longer.

Ashley Carter, the animal hospital's assistant who is helping with Lucy's care, said, "This is really awesome. It's exciting for something that you always are hearing about and now knowing it like this."

Correspondent Lenora Lake can be reached at (813) 865-4851 or llake@tampatrib.com.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT