A ten-week-old panther kitten, abandoned by her mother in the Big Cypress National Preserve, will go to the Naples Zoo this week after being nursed back to health at the Animal Specialty Hospital in East Naples.
"She was malnourished, dehydrated and she had pneumonia," said Dr. Marc Havig of ASH.
That was two months ago, when the then-two-week-old kitten - named Athena - was brought to ASH by representatives from Big Cypress. Athena was the one kitten - out of a litter of four - left behind when her mother moved the other three out of their den.
"The mother was radio-collared, so they were able to track her and monitor the kittens," Havig said.
He said his staff nursed Athena back to health with antibiotics and bottle-feeding.
"She really started to gain significant amounts of weight, and became much more healthy," Havig said.
She's also gotten plenty of exercise with her friend Flint, a dog who belongs to an ASH staff member.
"He's been her buddy while they've been in the hospital, and they've been able to play and socialize," Havig said. "They wrestle and have a good time."
But after eight weeks, it's time for Athena to head to a new home - initially, at the Naples Zoo.
"She will not be release-able since she was taken out of the wild at such a young age," said Liz Harmon, Director of Animal Programs at the Naples Zoo. "So she will live in a zoo, it's just a matter of whether it will be this zoo or another zoo."
The Naples Zoo already has an adult male panther named Uno, who was rescued after surviving a shotgun blast which left him blind. Harmon said it's too early to say whether Uno and Athena will be able to mingle together in the same exhibit.
