‘I Can’t Freakin’ Believe It’: Man Encounters Rare Florida Panther

Carlton Ward Jr. went a bit giddy went he came across a rare Florida panther in the wild. We don’t blame him, considering the National Geographic photographer spent nearly seven years telling these animals’ unique story with the help of remote trail cams. And this was the first time he’d seen one in person and had the opportunity to take photos and videos with a camera in his hand. The resulting video, which shows both the panther and Ward’s priceless reaction, is making waves on social media.

“Witnessing an endangered Florida panther in the wild is rare. Seeing one with a camera in your hand is even more unlikely,” reads the Instagram caption. “While on a routine visit to his field site at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, Carlton had a special encounter with a female Florida panther – the only time he’s ever been able to take a photograph of a wild panther with a camera in his hand.”

The collaboration post is from Path of the Panther, a documentary film highlighting Florida panthers. The film is available to stream now on Disney+ and Hulu.

Florida panthers (Puma concolor coryi) are a rare subspecies of mountain lion that only live in southern Florida. The Nature Conservancy reports there are likely only a couple hundred of these animals left in the wild.

See photographer Carlton Ward’s first-hand footage of a Florida panther (and his reaction) here:

Would you be this stoked if you saw a Florida panther in the wild?