Great shot but can't take the credit Not having something in the photo to scale gives a false impression. It's a large bobcat. The shark is an Atlantic sharpnose which typically grow to about three feet or so
They're actually native (slight variation in genetics) to florida but I read where conservationists brought in some eight or so female cougars to help stave off imbreeding caused by the small population, apparently it's working.
If that shark is three feet long, that would be the largest bobcat I ever heard of. I tend to go with cougar/mountain lion/panther with a bitten off tail. Where are the sharp pointed tufted ears? The color seems more that of the c/ml/p than the bobcat which usually has some subtle striping pattern not noticeable in the pic. The tail has more of a cut off look to it than a bobcat and it appears longer and smaller in diameter.
From Big Cat Rescue: "Size and Appearance: The Bobcat is a medium sized cat with a ruff of fur around the sides of the face. They weigh between 13-30 pounds, stand 21 inches high and are 30-50 inches long. The bobcats in the North tend to be larger than those in the south. Their coat color varies and has been recorded in shades of light gray, yellowish-brown, buff-brown, and reddish-brown. They are always spotted to some extent, with some patterned only on the undersides, and others having spots on the sides and chest backs too. The southern Bobcats seem to have a more spotted coat, with the spots being much smaller than the northern cats. Both melanistic and albinistic Bobcats have been reported, but the melanistic ones have only occurred in Florida. They are often confused with their larger feline cousin the Lynx, but can be easily distinguished by their tail tips. The tail of the Lynx looks as though it was dipped in an inkwell being black all the way around, whereas the Bobcat’s tail appears to have been painted black on top and white on the bottom.
According to Florida Fish & Wildlife officials that is a bobcat. Agree certainly not your typical (looks or size) bobcat. The shark (is bowed / curled) from tail tip to nose looks to be longer.
Wow! Some seriously good piloting by an 85yr ... YES 85yr old pilot. A reporter some do some diggin' I'm willing to bet this cat was a fighter (prob P-51) during WW II maybe Korea too. Outstanding skill at least on this occasion! Belly Lands Then Takes Off
Couldn't have been WWII. 1945 he would have been 15 at best. But possibly Korea, or early Vietnam. I know it is weird to think about how long ago WWII was, but I had a poker buddy that entered the European theater as an 18 year old in 1944/45, and he just turned 90.
Come on! Where's your since of excitement?? Seriously, the former WWII and Korean pilot comments were just to emphhasize the skill it took.
Oh, I was not poo-pooing on you! Trust me, I think stuff like that all the time, until I realize I am not 20 any more and WWII was a lifetime ago And how the hell did he not destroy the props? That is incredible.
Oh, he did. Apparently he kept the nose just high enough that they were serviceable enough to land (100 miles away at FT. Lauderdale Exec Airport). In a local interview he told the reporter his flyin' days are over and that he intends to sell the plane for parts.
