Animal sightings at The Fort....

[BradyBz12]

Mmmmmmm.... bacon!!

 

[pjenkinsjr]

About 2 years ago, I was departing FW late one morning. My wife and I had just turned onto Bonnet Creek Pkwy., I looked to my rear right along the canal where it is obstructed by view from the road. I always check that way for turkey, deer, armadillos, etc. This day, I saw a Panther walking on the opposite side of the canal. I didn't believe what I was seeing either. I slowed my vehicle down to a crawl so my wife could see & verify that I wasn't crazy.

We watched it slowly walk along the treeline in broad daylight.

If you check google earth, the area adjacent to this area is a large undeveloped tract of woodland/cypress hammock.

I know that most state wildlife agencies state that the Florida Panthers reside only in the Everglades area, but I am pretty sure the big cats do not subscribe to their newsletters. Also, with the exorbitant internet fees WDW charge, they likely forgo this service...

 

[2goofycampers]

Cool, and Welcome to the Dis.

 

[Tri-circle-D]

About 2 years ago, I was departing FW late one morning. My wife and I had just turned onto Bonnet Creek Pkwy., I looked to my rear right along the canal where it is obstructed by view from the road. I always check that way for turkey, deer, armadillos, etc. This day, I saw a Panther walking on the opposite side of the canal. I didn't believe what I was seeing either. I slowed my vehicle down to a crawl so my wife could see & verify that I wasn't crazy.

We watched it slowly walk along the treeline in broad daylight.

If you check google earth, the area adjacent to this area is a large undeveloped tract of woodland/cypress hammock.

I know that most state wildlife agencies state that the Florida Panthers reside only in the Everglades area, but I am pretty sure the big cats do not subscribe to their newsletters. Also, with the exorbitant internet fees WDW charge, they likely forgo this service...

I just wanted to say- Welcome to the Disboards, too! I am just up the road a piece from Seminole. I see you joined in Nov., but this is your first post! Let's get with it!

TCD

 

[Born 2 Fish]

Welcome to the boards.
When I lived in Deland FL. I saw a Panther once,,Beautiful ! Way cool !
A Great Big Kitty !



and since you joined in Nov. then you should'a seen this coming,,"Lets go FISHING !!"

 

[ftwildernessguy]

When I lived in California, a mountain lion came down from the hills and carried away a little kid.

 

[2goofycampers]

wow.

 

[ntsammy5]

Haven't seen one of these in a while

 

[BigDaddyRog]

When I lived in California, a mountain lion came down from the hills and carried away a little kid.

 

[des1954]

About 2 years ago, I was departing FW late one morning. My wife and I had just turned onto Bonnet Creek Pkwy., I looked to my rear right along the canal where it is obstructed by view from the road. I always check that way for turkey, deer, armadillos, etc. This day, I saw a Panther walking on the opposite side of the canal. I didn't believe what I was seeing either. I slowed my vehicle down to a crawl so my wife could see & verify that I wasn't crazy.

We watched it slowly walk along the treeline in broad daylight.

If you check google earth, the area adjacent to this area is a large undeveloped tract of woodland/cypress hammock.

I know that most state wildlife agencies state that the Florida Panthers reside only in the Everglades area, but I am pretty sure the big cats do not subscribe to their newsletters. Also, with the exorbitant internet fees WDW charge, they likely forgo this service...

I live in Polk County and since moving here in 2002, I've seen 3 panthers. When we lived in Manatee County, we had a panther that lived in the woods near our home until U.S. Homes came & stripped the property for yet another 1000 home development.

When my DH worked in Nokomis (Venice area), there was a panther near his work location.

Nope - the panthers probably don't read the newsletter!

I've also heard there's a pride of Jaguar's near Jax!

 

[des1954]

Bump to delete email notification!

 

[FlaFortCampster]

About 2 years ago, I was departing FW late one morning. My wife and I had just turned onto Bonnet Creek Pkwy., I looked to my rear right along the canal where it is obstructed by view from the road. I always check that way for turkey, deer, armadillos, etc. This day, I saw a Panther walking on the opposite side of the canal. I didn't believe what I was seeing either. I slowed my vehicle down to a crawl so my wife could see & verify that I wasn't crazy.

We watched it slowly walk along the treeline in broad daylight.

If you check google earth, the area adjacent to this area is a large undeveloped tract of woodland/cypress hammock.

I know that most state wildlife agencies state that the Florida Panthers reside only in the Everglades area, but I am pretty sure the big cats do not subscribe to their newsletters. Also, with the exorbitant internet fees WDW charge, they likely forgo this service...

You're not crazy, someone else has posted here that they too had seen a Florida panther close to the Fort. Wish you could have gotten a picture. What a treasure that would be.

Welcome to the boards.

 

[DznyRulz]

A year and a half ago we were going for the DVC tour and we got to talking to the van driver about the wildlife. As we turned onto Bonnet Creek, about the same area pjenkinsjr talks about, he told us about the resident panther that used to roam that area. The panther had migrated to an area of the property south of the All Star resorts and had been hit and killed on I4 near World Dr. I'll bet it was the same one pjenkinsjr saw.

 

[mistee]

I DON'T WANT TO CAUSE A PANIC BUT I THOUGHT I SHOULD WARN ALL WHO WANT TO GO TO FORT WILDERNESS THAT THERE ARE 2 VERY, VERY DANGEROUS ANIMALS THAT MIGHT CROSS YOUR PATH.

THESE CREATURES HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO GRAB SMALL CHILDERN
AND YES PICTURES HAVE BEEN TAKEN OF THEM W/ KIDS AND EVEN ADULTS

THEY ARE BROWN,, HUGE AND FURRY,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

CHIP AND DALE,,,,,, THOSE CRAZY CHIPMUNKS!!!

 

[ntsammy5]

You've never had a run in with a drunken otter, have you?

 

[team bradfield]

DD#2 told me she took a picture of a FW Chicken....

 

[Born 2 Fish]

Dang, not much meat on them drum sticks.

 

[Bearikens]

 

[Jack Rabbit Run]

We see deer, rabbits and armadillos just about every time we go to the Fort, but in Oct 09 we were on the bus coming back from Downtown Disney and just before we turned into the FW entrance, a coyote very calmly crossed the street. I didn't even know we had coyotes down here.

 

[Born 2 Fish]

That was Fred, the coyote, he's there so the Fort doesn't get over populated by road runners.