Adorable baby panther is nursed back to health after being found nearly frozen to death and weighing just ONE POUND

  • When researchers found the one-week old panther kitten in January he was frozen, unresponsive, and weighed one pound
  • He is slowly being nursed back to health and is in good condition
  • Since he was not taught survival skills by his mother he will not be released into the wild
  •  When the kitten is healthy again it will be taken to the Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park where visitors will be able to observe him in his natural habitat
  • There are less that 100 panthers remaining in the Florida wild

By Associated Press and Alexandra Klausner

PUBLISHED: 13:59 EST, 24 February 2014 | UPDATED: 16:58 EST, 24 February 2014

 A week-old nearly frozen panther kitten was rescued from a wildlife refuge in southwest Florida in mid-January, and biologists say the tiny feline would have died if researchers hadn't discovered him.

Officials from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said that the abandoned kitten was found at the Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge in Collier County.

The adorable male kitten weighed one pound, had hypothermia, and wasn't responsive. The wildlife refuge center has documented the kitten's healing process in heartwarming photographs and on film.

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When the baby panther was discovered he was nearly unresponsive and his poor little paws were ice cold

When the baby panther was discovered he was nearly unresponsive and his poor little paws were ice cold

The nearly frozen baby panther is fed nutrients and medicine after being discovered by wildlife specialists

The nearly frozen baby panther is fed nutrients and medicine after being discovered by wildlife specialists

As soon as the panther's health improved a bit, he could drink from a baby bottle

As soon as the panther's health improved a bit, he could drink from a baby bottle

The panther kitten undergoes a series of medical tests to ensure that it's in good shape

The panther kitten undergoes a series of medical tests to ensure that it's in good shape

'We want to give any panther kitten the best opportunity to survive in the wild,'posited FWC veterinarian Dr. Mark Cunningham in a press release.

'But clearly this kitten was in poor condition and almost certainly would have died without intervention.'

 

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Veterinarians at a Naples animal hospital performed life-saving measures and gave the kitten 24-hour care, reports the Science Recorder.

When the kitten was strong enough, he was brought to Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa. Eventually he will be taken to a fenced wildlife park in Homosassa Springs.

He adorably plays with stuffed animals as if they were his panther mates, drinks from a baby bottle, and smiles lovingly.

so far he's gained more than a pound.

According to a statement by the zoo, this is the fourth kitten and eight panther to receive rehabilitation at the wildlife center.

 
The panther kitten smiles for the camera after receiving a little much needed affection from wildlife staff

The panther kitten smiles for the camera after receiving a little much needed affection from wildlife staff

His smiles are a far cry from his lifeless expression when he was discovered in mid-January

His smiles are a far cry from his lifeless expression when he was discovered in mid-January

The panther cub plays with stuffed animals as if they were his panther mates

The panther cub plays with stuffed animals as if they were his panther mates

When the panther is healthy he will be placed in an environment similar to his own natural habitat

When the panther is healthy he will be placed in an environment similar to his own natural habitat

The little panther doesn't have a mother so he will have to learn from humans how to survive

The little panther doesn't have a mother so he will have to learn from humans how to survive

Biologists say that because the kitten didn't learn survival skills from his mother, he won't be released into the wild.

When the kitten is healthy again it will be taken to the Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park where visitors will be able to observe him in his natural habitat.

The National Wildlife Federations reports that less than 100 Florida panthers remain in the wild.

They live in southern Florida in swamplands like the Everglades National Park and Big Cypress National Preserve.

Because there are so few of these felines in the wild, the species as a whole is threatened by anything from feline disease, car crashes, and habitat loss.  

There are only 100 wild panthers living in the Florida and their entire species is threatened

There are only 100 wild panthers living in the Florida and their entire species is threatened

Had it not been from the help of the wildlife specialists the panther would not have survived

Had it not been from the help of the wildlife specialists the panther would not have survived

The panther will not be able to be released into the wild because it will not have learned survival skills from its mother

The panther will not be able to be released into the wild because it will not have learned survival skills from its mother

The once frozen kitten looks much warmer than he did when he was discovered in January

The once frozen kitten looks much warmer than he did when he was discovered in January

The panther has done well at adapting to his new and much warmer environment

The panther has done well at adapting to his new and much warmer environment

This panther was the fourth kitten and the ninth panther to be rescued by the wildlife center

This panther was the fourth kitten and the ninth panther to be rescued by the wildlife center

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Those eyes!! Adorable!

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Death is caused by "Hypothermia" and then the body freezes.

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Awww, the poor little thing looks petrified, hope he ends up happy.

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