Bear Creek Feline Center
banner
bearcreekfelinectr.bsky.social
Bear Creek Feline Center
@bearcreekfelinectr.bsky.social
Bear Creek Feline Center (BCFC) was founded in April 2000 by James E. Broaddus II. The facility was established to make homes to Class I & Class II felidae.

BCFC is licensed by the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission as by the USDA.
Want your entire donation to reach the cats? Now it can.
Our new donations page uses Zeffy, a platform that doesn’t take fees from your gift, so every dollar helps feed and heal wild cats in our care.
Donate here: bearcreekfelinecenter.org/donations/
Give Rescued Wild Cats a Forever Home — Donate Today
Support Bear Creek Feline Center. 100% of your gift feeds and heals rescued wild cats and helps protect their wild cousins. Donate now.
bearcreekfelinecenter.org
December 19, 2025 at 12:05 PM
We just launched a new Donations page!
Now, when you give through our secure partner Zeffy, no fees are taken from your donation—every dollar goes to food, medical care, and medicines for our cats. bearcreekfelinecenter.org/donations/
Give Rescued Wild Cats a Forever Home — Donate Today
Support Bear Creek Feline Center. 100% of your gift feeds and heals rescued wild cats and helps protect their wild cousins. Donate now.
bearcreekfelinecenter.org
December 10, 2025 at 5:52 PM
Thank you, Chastin, for taking the videos. Thank you, Megan Swinney & Parade Pets, for featuring Takoda & the effect of catnip on a mountain lion.

Takoda arrived at BCFC in April 2018 and is Saint's brother (born on Super Bowl Sunday, Feb 7 2010).

paradepets.com/pet-news/flo...
Big Cat's Hilarious Reaction to Catnip is All Too Relatable
This mountain lion shows us that cats, no matter their size, love a good catnip-fueled afternoon.
paradepets.com
September 16, 2025 at 3:57 PM
Through the lens of photographer Chastin Mitchell, the wild beauty of Bear Creek Feline Center comes alive. Each portrait captures more than a moment—it reflects years of dedication to the rare & endangered cats that call BCFC home.

Schedule a visit: **bearcreekfelinecenter.org**
August 22, 2025 at 6:08 PM
Big Cats, Big Impact – Photo Recap!
Saturday, June 21, was one for the books! Bear Creek & Goodwill Big Bend welcomed 70+ guests, 1,250 lbs of donations & tons of community spirit. Thank you to all who supported our mission of sustainability, education & wildcat conservation!
July 2, 2025 at 2:29 PM
Missed our event? Check out the highlights here: youtu.be/NYWcATVX0a4 Bear Creek Feline Center continues to serve as a sanctuary and educational resource for the community—and your involvement makes it possible. #BearCreekFelineCenter #BigCatSanctuary
BCFC hosts first-ever 'Big Cats, Big Impact' event to give back to the community
It's not every day you find yourself paw to paw with an exotic cat, but on Saturday, June 21, Bear Creek Feline Center is opening its doors to the public with free admission. For more News, Weather, and Sports in Panama City, Florida, visit: https://www.mypanhandle.com
youtu.be
June 28, 2025 at 12:31 PM
A huge thank you to everyone who joined us this past weekend! Your presence and support fuel our mission at Bear Creek Feline Center: providing safe, lifelong homes to wildcats and educating the next generation on wildlife preservation. www.youtube.com/watch
BCFC hosts first-ever 'Big Cats, Big Impact' event to give back to the community
It's not every day you find yourself paw to paw with an exotic cat, but on Saturday, June 21, Bear Creek Feline Center is opening its doors to the public with free admission. For more News, Weather, and Sports in Panama City, Florida, visit: https://www.mypanhandle.com
www.youtube.com
June 25, 2025 at 12:29 PM
Bear Creek Feline Center and Goodwill Big Bend partner for “Big Cats, Big Impact,” a donation-based open-house event promoting wildcat education, environmental stewardship, and community engagement on June 21, 2025, in Panama City, Florida. bearcreekfelinecenter.org/goodwill-big...
Bear Creek Feline Center, Goodwill Big Bend Partner for Sustainability Event
Bear Creek Feline Center, Goodwill Big Bend host “Big Cats, Big Impact” June 21 supporting wildcat education & community in Panama City, FL
bearcreekfelinecenter.org
June 18, 2025 at 3:53 AM
A seldom-seen wild cat species has made its home at Bear Creek Feline Center. Discover how this elusive creature is adapting to its new environment. #africancaracal www.mypanhandle.com/news/local-n...
A rare species of cat is now calling the Panhandle Home
BAY COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) – Bear Creek Feline Center, home to 21 big cats representing five majestic species, continues to offer rare, up-close experiences in a safe and educational sanctuary s…
www.mypanhandle.com
April 17, 2025 at 6:34 PM
Schmoozer the bobcat, jumped up so high,
Right over Jim, with a twinkle in his eye.
Chastin stood ready, with food in a bowl,
While Schmoozer came down, playing his role.
He jumped, oh he jumped, for a snack to be got!
That Schmoozer, he loves what he's got!

youtube.com/shorts/5kA7fkK6SIc
Bobcat Jumps OVER Man's Head! (Schmoozer the Bobcat)
Schmoozer the bobcat, jumped up so high, Right over Jim, with a twinkle in his eye...
youtube.com
March 17, 2025 at 7:54 PM
​The endangered Florida panther faces increasing threats from urban expansion and traffic-related fatalities. Bear Creek Feline Center is committed to providing sanctuary and raising awareness for these majestic creatures. #floridapanther youtu.be/OgRnCuSPKQM?si=PG1CYzNVA2URHi_L
Endangered Florida panther faces dual threats of urban sprawl and increased traffic
The endangered Florida panther is the last surviving big cat species on the eastern seaboard of the United States. Experts estimate that only120-230 panthers survive in the southwestern corner of the state, where they are faced with a booming human population and the development that comes with it. In 2024, 36 panther deaths were recorded by state wildlife officials, which was the most since 2016. The majority of those deaths are the result of collisions with vehicles, including one that was struck by a train, state statistics show. As Florida’s population continues to be among the fastest growing in the nation, ecologists say that is putting added stress on an already shrinking habitat for the Florida panther. Male panthers require home ranges of around 200 square miles to find prey and mate, putting them in the path of Florida’s growing network of roads and highways, built to accommodate a growing human population. The Florida panther, which is similar to but smaller than the Western cougar or mountain lion, once roamed across a large swath of the southeastern U.S. Hunting and habitat loss have decimated their numbers and confined them to a shrinking space of about 2 million acres (809,000 hectares), according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Indeed, along what were once narrow country roads in eastern Collier and Lee counties there are numerous major projects under way that will create tens of thousands of homes and the traffic that comes with them. "We think this is the last stand for the Florida panther because many of the areas have already been encroached upon and eaten up through development and mining,” said Amber Crooks, senior environmental policy advisor at Conservancy of Southwest Florida. Environmental groups have been fighting an uphill battle to curb some of the development and vow to continue those efforts. "For me, Florida Panther and its ability to persist here is really the litmus test as to whether or not we are saving enough green space to protect our own interests because areas that the panther use are places we like to recreate, they are areas where we need for our wetlands, for our water resources, drinking water and our agricultural production,” said Crooks. ------------------ For More News and Videos SUBSCRIBE and Turn Notifications On https://bit.ly/2r0BEND Get a Digital Subscription to the Tampa Bay Times https://bit.ly/2Xinunj Follow us: Facebook ► https://www.facebook.com/tampabaycom X ► https://twitter.com/TB_Times Instagram ► https://www.instagram.com/tampabaytimes TikTok ► https://www.tiktok.com/@tampabaytimes
youtu.be
March 4, 2025 at 6:24 PM
Bear Creek Feline Center is home to the only captive jaguarundi breeding colony in North America. Learn about this rare wild cat & how you can help protect them! #WildlifeConservation #Jaguarundi #bearcreekfelinecenter
Jaguarundi Breeding Colony: A Rare Conservation Success Story - Bear Creek Feline Center
Discover the only jaguarundi breeding colony in North America at Bear Creek Feline Center. Witness these rare wild cats up close.
bearcreekfelinecenter.org
March 2, 2025 at 3:11 PM
A great friend of the BCFC, Jeanne Savelle, beautifully captured our purpose and vision in a 2014 article for *The Star* (Port St. Joe). Grateful for her storytelling! #BearCreekFelineCenter #Conservation bearcreekfelinecenter.org/of-radio-footba...
Of radio, football and Florida panthers - Bear Creek Feline Center
Explore the unique story of Bear Creek Feline Center, where Florida panthers, radio, and football intertwine in a mission of wildlife conservation.
bearcreekfelinecenter.org
February 25, 2025 at 12:12 PM
Curious about weather conditions in Panama City? BCFC is not just a sanctuary for exotic cats—we also operate a weather station! Our station provides real-time temperature, humidity, wind speed, rainfall data, for weather reports for News 13’s Weather Watchers. youtu.be/o0sUUMVEiqY
Bear Creek Feline Center: Watching the Weather for WMBB News 13
https://bearcreekfelinecenter.org | (850) 722-9927 | Bear Creek Feline Center: Watching the Weather for WMBB News 13 Ever wonder how your local forecast is made? It’s not just computer models and satellite data—real people play a key role! Meet the News 13 Weather Watchers, dedicated individuals across the Florida Panhandle who report real-time weather observations to help meteorologists fine-tune your forecast. At Bear Creek Feline Center, Jim Broaddus shares what inspired him to become a Weather Watcher and how his daily reports assist News 13’s First Alert Storm Center. From temperature and humidity to wind direction and rain totals, these crucial updates provide a clearer picture of what's happening in YOUR neighborhood. As meteorologist Tyler Eliason explains, "No one lives at the airport," which is why hyper-local observations make all the difference in delivering a reliable forecast. Want to help improve weather coverage in your community? Becoming a Weather Watcher is easy—all you need is a thermometer and a rain gauge! Follow us on: Blog: bearcreekfelinecenter.org/bear-creek-feline-center-news Google Business Profile: maps.app.goo.gl/vHi2JRA94WVydTcw7 Youtube: youtube.com/@bearcreekfelinecenter Twitter: twitter.com/bearcreekfeline Facebook: facebook.com/BearCreekFelineCenter Linkedin: linkedin.com/company/bear-creek-feline-center Instagram: instagram.com/bearcreekfelinecenterofficial
youtu.be
February 23, 2025 at 4:24 PM
The Forgotten Coast is one of Florida’s last unspoiled regions and could serve as a larger sanctuary for endangered felines like Florida panthers, bobcats, and rehabilitated wildcats. #bearcreekfelinecenter bearcreekfelinecenter.org/the-hidden-florida-haven-for-wildlife-natural-beauty/
The Hidden Florida: A Haven for Wildlife and Natural Beauty
Hidden Florida’s Forgotten Coast is an unspoiled haven where wildlife thrives, including bobcats amid pristine forests, wetlands, beaches.
bearcreekfelinecenter.org
February 20, 2025 at 8:58 PM