FWC biologists recently captured and tagged the heaviest Florida panther ever recorded, a male weighing 166 pounds.

Roughly 75 years ago the Florida panther, a unique subspecies of the North American cougar, was nearly extinct when there were only 10 estimated to be

The massive panther was tranquilized and captured with a net, after it had climbed a tree, before it was weighed and collared.

The heaviest Florida panther ever recorded was captured by biologists with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission as conservation efforts to protect the endangered animal continue.

Florida panthers. Thirty-six of the endangered cats were killed by vehicle strike – the most since 2016. Yet Florida has no set budget for wildlife crossings. The Sun

FLORIDA, USA — Biologists with the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) have captured what they say is the heaviest Florida panther on record. Weighing in at 166 pounds, the panther was found on Wednesday, Jan. 29 in Babcock Ranch, FWC told 10 Tampa Bay.

Biologists recently captured, collared and released a very stout male cat. When they weighed him, they realized he was the heaviest specimen of the endangered species anyone had ever documented.