TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — A couple recently spotted an unusual sight while boating in Florida — a bobcat swimming in the water.
Kristen and Chris Pfaller told WBBH that at first, they weren’t sure what was swimming near Umbrella Island.
“I was driving the boat and I saw something swimming around this post and I said ‘What is that something swimming?'” Chris Pfaller told the news station. “Kristen said ‘Oh, it’s a cat’ and then we both said “It’s a bobcat!’ And then we got all excited about that.”
Kristen Pfaller said they made sure to keep a distance from the big cat but wanted to make sure no boaters hit it.
“We stayed away as far as we could just so we didn’t stress the animal out any further because it did look like it had gone on a rather far journey from the other island,” Kristne Pfaller said.
“It was pretty amazing. It was very cool to see,” the Pfallers said.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said the Pfallers made the right decision by keeping their distance.
The FWC told WBBH that bobcats aren’t usually aggressive but they are still wild animals.