Panther escapes private estate in Lerdo and attacks woman

A panther escaped from a private estate in the Villa Jardín neighborhood of Lerdo, Durango, attacking a young woman on Friday night. The victim was transported to a private hospital in Gómez Palacio, where she is reported to be in stable condition. Family members of the victim managed to capture the animal following the incident.

Animal rights groups, including Defensoría Animalista Laguna, have called on authorities to identify and sanction the owners of the feline. They emphasized that the possession of large felids as pets is prohibited by the Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat) and constitutes an environmental crime. Under Mexican law, such animals may only be kept in authorized facilities like zoos or Wildlife Conservation Management Units (UMA).