'Run Don't Walk'—Shocking Moment Florida Man Sees Panther Pawprints on Hike

While hiking through the woods in Volusia County, Florida resident Chase Blake caught sight of something unusual on the ground beneath his feet.

Imprinted in the sun-baked mud was a paw print, about 3 inches wide, that Blake believes was "almost certainly" made by the endangered Florida panther.

"I typically always stay on the lookout for wildlife or signs that wildlife has been in the area so that includes checking muddy or sandy areas for animal tracks, which is how I found these," Blake told Newsweek.

"This isn't the first time I've seen signs of panthers in Florida, however this is the first time I've seen signs so far North."

Florida panthers are the state's largest native cat species. They can grow up to 7-feet long and weigh up to 154 pounds, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reports.

In the past, panthers used to roam throughout Florida, as far west as Arkansas and as far north as South Carolina. However, after decades of hunting, there are now only between 120 to 230 adult panthers in the wild, as estimated by the Florida Wildlife Commission.

Panthers are primarily found in southwest Florida and few female panthers are found north of Lake Okeechobee. However, the males can be spotted throughout the peninsula, and in 2008 one was shot and killed in western Georgia.

Panthers are listed as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act and it is illegal to harm or harass them in any way. Today, the primary threats to this species are habitat loss and fragmentation.

According to the Florida Wildlife Commission, panther tracks have some unique characteristics that help clearly distinguish them from other species. The paw pad has a "trapezoid" shape with three distinct lobes along its base. Unlike dog tracks, claw marks are usually absent.

The pawprints in Blake's photos likely belong to a male: female pad prints usually have a width of less than 2 inches, while male prints are usually larger. It is also unusual to find a female so far north.

Blake posted the photos to the Facebook group Unseen Florida, and while some were unconvinced by his identification, many users were quick to confirm his sighting.

"Appears so. A bobcat print would be only about 1 to 2 inches max, Panther would be 3 to 4 plus inches. And a dog would have claw marks," said one user.

"Run, don't walk," said another.

As an "avid outdoorsman," Blake has seen his fair share of Florida's wildlife. "I've come very close to many of Florida's larger wildlife such as whitetail deer, alligators, coyotes, black bears, bobcats, and many more while spending time in nature," he said. "However one animal I have yet to have an actual encounter with in the wild is a Florida Panther even though I've seen signs of them for years."