TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Loper the panther was hit by a car in Fort Myers last July. He suffered multiple broken bones on his right arm as well as other minor cuts.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) helped get Loper into emergency surgery. After the surgery, Loper was brought to ZooTampa for intensive rehab.
“He spent eight weeks with us and we had him medicated on pain meds,” said Dr. Meredith Persky, Senior VP Chief Conservation and Animal Health Officer at ZooTampa. “We made sure we kept our distance from him, so he would not associate humans with food to prepare him for potential release.”…