Florida Panthers ... don't want anything to do with humans.
Oh, yeah? According to wildlife officials:
If Attacked by a Florida Panther "Don't Run, Fight"
Originally Posted by Reuters
MIAMI (Reuters Life!) - If attacked by an endangered Florida panther, stand tall and fight back -- that's the advice wildlife officials are giving after a series of recent panther attacks on domestic animals in the southeast U.S. state.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said on Monday that panthers, which are protected under both state and federal laws, had killed several goats and a pig in at least six "depredations" since the beginning of December.
"If you encounter a Florida panther, the FWC recommends: Avoid crouching or bending down; Do not run or turn away from the panther; Stand up tall and face the animal; Make eye contact; Do whatever you can to appear larger; and Fight back if attacked", the commission statement said.
"We're trying to advise the public to be the dominant person ... that's the bottom line," FWC spokesperson Gabriella Ferraro told Reuters.
For the more faint-hearted who may not relish the idea of grappling with a Florida panther -- full-grown males can stand up to 28 inches high at the shoulder and weigh up to 160 pounds (72 kg) -- the FWC gives the following more reassuring information on its web site: "Panthers eat deer, not people. Panthers are shy and avoid people"
"There's never been an attack by a panther on a human being in the state of Florida, that we're aware of," Ferraro said.