Biologist from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission rescued a one week old panther last month in Tampa Florida. The baby panther was found during a field search.

Spokesperson Carli Segelson of Florida Fish and Wildlife commission said that they had held off on declaring the discovery till they were certain about his survival.

The one-pound male had a severely low body temperature and was non-responsive. Firstly, he was taken to the Animal Specialty Hospital of Florida in Naples and then later to Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo. Veterinarians at a Naples animal hospital performed lifesaving measures and provided 24-hour intensive care to the kitten.

Eventually he will be moved to a fenced wildlife park in Homosassa Springs. Panthers are a subspecies of the cougar, which are highly related to mountain lions. Their DNA is identical to their cousins across the continent that they have recently been removed as being a subcategory. But, for the purpose of conservation, Florida panthers are still referred to by their Latin subspecies name, Puma concolor coryi.

This cat species has long been one of the most endangered species in the world.

The zoo officials revealed that the one month old kitten is now healthy and active. The panther has an excellent appetite and the staff will start feeding him on a meat-based diet. The baby panther cannot be released into the wild as he was not capable of learning survival skills from his mother.

It is expected that the kitten will stay at Wildlife state Park. As per estimation, approximately 100-160 panthers are left in Florida’s wilds. The number does not include kittens like the one that has recently been saved.