Endangered Florida panthers filmed fighting for the first time

Brawls over territory are a leading cause of death for Florida panthers but until now had never been captured on camera.

For the first time, two Florida panthers have been filmed fighting, sparring over territory in South Florida.

On a turkey hunt with his son, Andres Pis was holed up in a blind when he saw movement to his right. Sure enough, it was a young male Florida panther. Just as he began filming with his smartphone, an older male “came out of nowhere and hit him like a freight train,” Pis recalls.

What ensued was a vicious battle, with the older male gaining the upper hand. After grappling for nearly a minute, the young male ran off, though Pis thinks it’s likely that the older male later killed the youngster.

Pis, a hunting guide and land manager, recorded the incident on March 31

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