Tiny Florida panther kitten rescued, now thriving at Naples Zoo

NAPLES, Fla. (WINK)—A Florida panther kitten is getting life-saving care at the Naples Zoo after the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission says she was abandoned by her mother earlier this year.

The zoo says the kitten weighed less than 3 pounds when she arrived and now weighs more than 20 pounds. This isn't the only Florida panther the Naples Zoo has helped rescue.

The Naples Zoo team calls the feisty Florida panther Peppercorn. She is the newest panther to be helped at the Naples Zoo.

Rehn has been with Peppercorn since she was brought in on March 9. She says Peppercorn came in at just 8 weeks old with parasites and was severely underweight.

"She surprisingly was actually pretty feisty when she got in, which is a great sign," Rehn said.

Rehn says that after just three months at the Naples Zoo, Peppercorn has gained more than 20 pounds.

"We had a really intensive feeding plan, very hands-on to get her weight up, and now you know she's a growing animal, so she needs all those calories to grow nice and strong," Rehn said.

Rehn says helping this endangered species is something the zoo is passionate about. With stories like Peppercorn's, she'll be an ambassador for panther conservation.

"We've helped six other Florida Panthers in their past, and so she's just another one that we're able to help thrive, and hopefully we'll be able to help more," Rehn said. "I can't wait to see what she looks like when she's a grown panther."

While visitors can't come see Peppercorn for themselves, Rehn says that once she is old enough, she will go to another facility, such as the Naples Zoo, to be an ambassador for her species.

FWC asks that if you find an injured, sick, or dead panther, call the FWC’s 24-hour Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-3922.