A Florida panther kitten who was found abandoned in the wild at eight weeks old, weighing under three pounds, now weighs more than 36 and has a permanent home at the Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens in Sanford. Her name is Peppercorn, and getting her here took three organizations and five months.
The wait that had to happen first
Biologists with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission had been monitoring the kitten in the wild as part of ongoing panther conservation work. When it became clear she had been abandoned and could not survive alone, they did not move immediately. They kept watching and waited as long as they safely could in case her mother returned.
She did not. On March 9, 2026, the kitten was rescued and taken to Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens.
“This story is a reminder of how challenging life can be for Florida panthers, particularly for young kittens that lose the protection of their mothers,” said Dr. Peter Sebastian, a veterinarian with the FWC.
Five months of intensive care
At rescue she was in fragile condition: badly malnourished and carrying a heavy parasite load. Naples Zoo’s veterinary and animal care teams put her on an intensive rehabilitation program built around nutrition, medical treatment and continuous monitoring.
The number that measures how that went is her weight. Under three pounds in March; more than 36 pounds now.
“Her recovery is a testament to the dedication of our veterinary and animal care teams,” said Dr. Carson Rehn, veterinarian associate at Naples Zoo. “We’re proud to have played a role in giving her a second chance.”
Naples Zoo staff named her Peppercorn, for a nature they describe as spicy but small.
We covered the first half of this story in June, when the kitten was still in rehabilitation: an orphaned Florida panther kitten recovering at Naples Zoo. Peppercorn is that kitten.
Why she cannot be released
Florida panthers are among the most endangered mammals in the United States, with an estimated 120 to 230 adults remaining. A kitten orphaned that young never learns to hunt from its mother, which makes release impossible and a permanent home the only outcome that keeps her alive.
“The Central Florida Zoo is honored to provide her a safe, permanent home where she will not only thrive under expert care, but also help inspire guests to understand why protecting Florida’s native wildlife and wild spaces is so important,” said CEO Richard Glover.
General curator Erin Bussom framed what her job here will be: “Every milestone she’s reached is a testament to the collaborative efforts of the wildlife professionals who refused to give up on her. She will play an important role in helping guests connect with Florida’s native wildlife.”
When can guests meet Peppercorn?
The zoo has not set a date yet and is directing people to its social channels for word of her habitat debut. Sanford is about half an hour north of Orlando, which makes this an easy add to a central Florida trip, and a panther you can actually stand in front of is a rare thing in a state where most people will never see one.
