Food

To survive and reproduce, panthers must be able to get enough food. Females need to establish a range in an area with shelter for the kittens and abundant food. A female panther with two nursing kittens requires 5500 calories each day (Maehr 1997), an amount unlikely to be met with only small animals such as raccoons and armadiloes are available. You might review the panther's diet for suitable prey.

Cover

Kittens in den in a palmetto thicket

Does the area have good places to hide in vegetation to stalk prey, for females to shelter kittens, and for denning and resting? You might review the female panther's needs for dens in mating and reproduction.

Dry Land

Is the ground relatively dry for good denning and resting spots?

Feel free to review the various natural communities.

Hardwood Hammocks Cypress Swamps Hardwood Swamps

Prairie Pinelands Freshwater Marshes