A trail camera that captured an unusual creature roaming on public lands in Southwest Florida has ignited a flurry of speculation among wildlife enthusiasts and experts.
The still, released by the South Florida Wildlands Association (SFWA) on March 14, 2025, depicts a nocturnal animal with a long tail, dark fur and reflective eyes, leaving its identity shrouded in mystery.
Asking for public input, the SFWA’s Facebook post noted the creature’s ambiguous appearance that is both ‘a little bit wrong and a little bit right for a number of different species.’
This prompted more than 200 comments, with suggestions ranging from feral house cats to bobcats, and panthers.
Users in the comments also suggested the possibility that it was a domesticated dog, specifically a Chihuahua, as they pointed out a harness on the animals.
While the animal’s feline silhouette and glowing eyes suggest a cat, the SFWA expressed skepticism regarding the feral cat theory.
‘The public lands where this cam shot was taken also hosts many bobcats as well as panthers,’ SFWA said, highlighting the low survival chances for a domestic cat in such an environment.
‘In years of hiking Southwest Florida, have never encountered domestic cats in the state and federal lands (nor tracks – noticeably smaller than panthers or bobcats) – but doesn’t mean they aren’t out there,’ SFWA added.
A trail camera photograph, captured on public lands in Southwest Florida , has ignited a flurry of speculation among wildlife enthusiasts and experts
The image, released by the South Florida Wildlands Association (SFWA) on March 14, 2025, depicts a nocturnal animal with a long tail, dark fur, and reflective eyes, leaving its identity shrouded in mystery
Commenters pointed out discrepancies with other potential identifications.
Bobcats typically have shorter tails, spotted patterns and squatter legs, while panthers possess larger paws and a more muscular build.
The suggestion of a jaguarundi, a South American wild cat, added another layer of intrigue, despite its non-native status.
In an effort to identify the mysterious animal captured in their initial trail camera photograph, the SFWA released additional images on Saturday.
These new pictures, taken by the same camera, feature other local wildlife that were more easily identifiable.
The SFWA emphasized that the identity of the original mystery animal still remains unknown.
The camera was triggered remotely, capturing these images without human presence.
The newly released photos are intended to serve as a comparative basis for identifying the unknown creature.
This mysterious sighting comes just a month after a Florida panther and an opossum recently had an unexpected encounter, and it was all caught on camera.
The viral footage, recorded by Dick Brewer and shared by Matt Devitt of WINK Weather, captures the moment the panther approached the apparently unaware opossum.
Pictured: An aerial view of Cape Coral, Southwest Florida’s largest city
The SFWA’s Facebook post that provided other photos captured on the camera, prompted over 200 comments, with suggestions ranging from feral house cats to bobcats to panthers.
The SFWA emphasized that the identity of the original mystery animal remains unknown
Despite a brief exchange of bared teeth, the panther ultimately moves on, proving that even top predators don’t always choose aggression.
Florida panthers, an endangered species with an estimated population of just 200, typically hunt deer and wild hogs but will also prey on smaller mammals like opossums.
This particular opossum, however, seemed to escape unharmed.
As a protected species under state and federal law, Florida panthers remain a rare and remarkable sight in the wild.
