Gardener in Florida Spots 75-Pound Panther

A gardener working at a Florida home Tuesday was shocked by a 75-pound panther lurking on the side of the house.

The couple who owns the residence, Al Dijindil and Andrea Cameron, told NBC affiliate WBBH the gardener spotted the 2-year-old panther in bushes along their Naples home.

"The gardener said, 'I think you have a tiger in your yard,'" Cameron said.

Cameron was able to see the panther safely inside her house by looking out of a window. "I was hoping he would stay there until help arrived,” Cameron said.

Florida Fish and Wildlife officers tranquilized and removed the cat, which will be released in a less populated region, according WBBH. They said that the panther most likely swam over from Keewaydin Island, off the coast of Naples.

"The panther will be released in Picayune Strand State Forest. It's a little farther from major roads, so we think that will be a safer option than Rookery Bay... No time frame yet, he's still groggy," panther biologist for FWC Mark Lotz said to WBBH.

Cameron's family was surprised to hear about her ordeal with the big cat.

“My brother said, ‘Wow, that’s a big panther. It’s a good thing he didn’t eat you,'” Cameron said.

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