AR-News: (US FL) Video of panther attack spurs wildlife agency investigation

[Animalara2003 at aol.com]

Sun--Sentinel.com
By David Fleshler 
Staff Writer 
Posted June 24 2004 

A Florida panther spent weeks feasting on easy prey at an Everglades petting 
zoo, leading a local resident to set up a video camera and film the panther 
attacking a tethered goat. Now he is under investigation for possible violation 
of wildlife laws.

It is the latest fight over panthers, people and the value of wilderness, as 
a growing population of panthers tries to survive among the Miccosukee 
villages, housing developments and tourist attractions of the western Everglades.
The panther began killing animals about three weeks ago at the petting zoo at 
Trail Lakes Campground, a few miles northeast of Everglades City. Drawn by 
tame animals grazing just an easy hop over a low fence, the panther killed 16 
goats, four emus, five ducks, three turkeys and a chicken, said the owner, Jack 
Shealy. A biologist from the National Park Service confirmed that a panther 
was responsible.

With Shealy's permission, Jan Michael Jacobson, director of the Everglades 
Institute, which is critical of federal wildlife policy, set up a video camera 
above a tethered goat.

The panther came that night. The attack lasted longer than he expected, said 
Jacobson, who lives nearby at Big Cypress National Preserve. The panther 
mauled the goat slowly, apparently accustomed to killing tethered animals.



full story:
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/florida/sfl-cpanther24jun24,0,4770688.s
tory?coll=sfla-news-florida 



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