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Orphaned Florida Panther Kitten Rescued After Mother Fails to Return to Den
ABOVE VIDEO: Orphaned Florida Panther Kitten Rescued After Mother Fails to Return to Den
NAPLES, FLORIDA – A young Florida panther kitten is getting a second chance at survival after wildlife biologists intervened when its mother stopped returning to care for it.
According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), a female Florida panther was fitted with a radio collar during the agency’s 2026 panther capture season. Shortly after being collared, GPS tracking data indicated the panther had established a den.
Biologists with the FWC and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service located the den and confirmed it contained a single kitten. For several weeks, tracking data showed the mother was regularly returning to the den and caring for her offspring.
However, biologists later noticed the mother had stopped visiting the den. After monitoring the situation for two weeks without the mother’s return, officials determined the kitten’s health was rapidly declining.
The female kitten, designated K528, was found to be severely underweight, weighing less than 3 pounds, and suffering from a heavy parasite load. Fearing the kitten would not survive without assistance, wildlife staff decided to intervene.
In March 2026, the approximately 2-month-old kitten was carefully removed from the den and transported to Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens, where she began receiving medical treatment and supportive care.
FWC officials said monitoring radio-collared Florida panthers provides critical information about reproduction, survival rates and the overall health of the endangered population. The tracking program also allows biologists to identify situations where intervention may be necessary to give vulnerable kittens a chance at survival.
Florida residents can support panther conservation efforts, including rescues, releases and research, by purchasing a Protect the Panther specialty license plate.
Anyone who spots an injured, sick or deceased Florida panther is encouraged to contact the FWC’s 24-hour Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922) so biologists can respond.
