Bizarre Animal Caught On Camera Has Florida Experts Baffled And People Guessing
Known for its unique flora and fauna, Florida is home to several species and subspecies found exclusively in the state. From the Florida bog frog to the Florida panther, the Sunshine State is as defined by its people and culture as it is by its wildlife. Because of the state's unique biodiversity, when a mysterious creature was caught on a trail cam, the South Florida Wildlands Association (SFWA), an organization dedicated to the conservation of Florida's Everglades, reached out to its online followers to ask for help identifying the creature.
In a March 14, 2025, Facebook post, the South Florida Wildlands Association posted a photo with the text, "Captured on a trail cam on public lands in Southwest Florida. Looks a little bit wrong and a little bit right for a number of different species. Anyone want to venture a guess?" The accompanying image, taken at night by a friend of the SFWA, shows a slender, shadowy figure with glowing eyes and a feline body type.
Many doubted that this was a sighting of a unique, "one-in-a-million" animal like the one spotted in Western Texas in 2022, believing it was likely an ordinary house cat. However, Florida's biodiversity — home to several endangered species, including its state animal, the Florida panther — has made experts skeptical that the answer is so straightforward, leaving professionals and the public alike to speculate.
People are weighing in on what the bizarre animal caught on the Florida trail cam could be
The most common response online on the South Florida Wildlands Association (SFWA) Facebook post was that the above-photographed creature is simply a house or stray cat turned feral. One user stated, "This is a domestic shorthair, possibly feral. The bone structure is house cat, and the legs are too thin to be panther. Size also appears to be house cat in relation to the grass." However, others weren't as sure, with guesses ranging from it being a bobcat or baby jaguar to a more uncommon creature such as a jaguarundi — a wild cat breed common in Brazil, Peru, and Venezuela — or a rare black fox.
The guess of a stray cat doesn't seem unwarranted, with the Palm Beach County Department of Public Safety Division of Animal Care and Control alone reporting monthly intake throughout 2024 anywhere from 231 to 700 monthly. Moreover, cats are one of the most invasive species, so finding one on a trail cam isn't out of the question. However, the SFWA Facebook page shed some doubt in the comments, posting, "Feral cat was exactly what we thought. But the public lands where this cam shot was taken also hosts many bobcats as well as panthers. Would guess life expectancy for a domestic cat living in the wild here would be very short."
Many have settled on it being a feral cat despite the odds against it surviving in the area. Yet, with the Natural History Museum adding 190 new animals, plants, and minerals in 2024 alone, the creature caught on camera could be a unique discovery. Until another picture of the spotted animal materializes, the picture will keep professionals and the public guessing.