Shogon
08-27-2019, 12:03 AM
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/ncna1044766
[QUOTE]Florida panthers and bobcats are walking weird. Wildlife officials can't figure out why.
Experts have ruled out "numerous diseases and possible causes" that might explain why the cats are having extreme difficulty walking.
Aug. 21, 2019, 11:38 AM ET
By Elisha Fieldstadt
Wildlife officials are investigating why panthers and bobcats in three Florida counties are walking abnormally and having extreme difficulty controlling their back legs.
The cats appear to have no trouble using their front legs, but their hind legs crisscross and sometimes completely give out under their weight as they walk, causing them to stumble, then struggle to continue walking, trail footage from counties of the west coast of southern Florida shows.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) said Monday that the agency has confirmed neurological damage in one panther and one bobcat, while video footage captured in Collier, Lee and Sarasota counties show eight panthers and one bobcat demonstrating varying degrees of the leg condition.
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Another panther photographed in neighboring Charlotte County could also be suffering from the condition, according to the FWC. The affected panthers in the video are mostly kittens, while the bobcat is an adult.
Wildlife officials are also reviewing video footage from other areas, but the problem seems to be localized.
[QUOTE]Florida panthers and bobcats are walking weird. Wildlife officials can't figure out why.
Experts have ruled out "numerous diseases and possible causes" that might explain why the cats are having extreme difficulty walking.
Aug. 21, 2019, 11:38 AM ET
By Elisha Fieldstadt
Wildlife officials are investigating why panthers and bobcats in three Florida counties are walking abnormally and having extreme difficulty controlling their back legs.
The cats appear to have no trouble using their front legs, but their hind legs crisscross and sometimes completely give out under their weight as they walk, causing them to stumble, then struggle to continue walking, trail footage from counties of the west coast of southern Florida shows.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) said Monday that the agency has confirmed neurological damage in one panther and one bobcat, while video footage captured in Collier, Lee and Sarasota counties show eight panthers and one bobcat demonstrating varying degrees of the leg condition.
Download the NBC News app for breaking news and politics
Another panther photographed in neighboring Charlotte County could also be suffering from the condition, according to the FWC. The affected panthers in the video are mostly kittens, while the bobcat is an adult.
Wildlife officials are also reviewing video footage from other areas, but the problem seems to be localized.