Overview

• Passengers spotted the big cat exhausted and adrift near Manaus before a multi-agency team pulled it from the water.
• Veterinarians say the male, about five years old, underwent surgery and remains hospitalized in stable but stressed condition.
• Imaging revealed more than 30 shotgun fragments across the face, head and neck, along with broken teeth and visible head wounds.
• A felid biologist said the spread of pellets indicates a distant discharge, possibly intended to drive the animal away.
• Authorities have not determined the animal’s origin or final placement, and reintroduction will be evaluated after recovery.