Panthers in Trouble

Describe a Florida Panther

Panther Families

Panther Diet

Panther Habitat

What is a Florida panther?

Florida panthers are a type of cougar or mountain lion. Cougars are the largest wild cats in North America. They also live in Central and South America. More

What is its scientific name?

The scientific name for the Florida panther is Puma concolor coryi. Puma means "mighty magic animal" in a South American Indian language. Concolor means "one color." Coryi is after Charles Barney Cory, one of the first scientists to study Florida panthers. More, more

Are panthers black?

Florida panthers are not black although many people believe they are. Florida panthers are tawny (the same color as deer). The fur on their bellies and the inside of their legs is lighter, and the fur on their backs, tails, and legs is darker. In the summer of 2000, biologists found two kittens with very light fur, but no one has ever found a black panther. More

In the shadows of the forest a panther may look black. Check out the video of a mother panther and her kittens in the wild, and you will see how dark they look when they are on the edge of the woods. More

Why is it called "panther" if it's not black?

When Europeans first came to Florida, they thought they were seeing tigers or leopards. At the time leopards were called panthers. Some early settlers called Florida's big cats "tigers." Others called them "panthers." The name panther stuck, and that's why Florida's big cat is called panther today.

How big are they?

Panthers are about 10 times as big as a housecat. Bobcats, which people often mistake for panthers, are only about twice as big as a housecat. When biologist Chris Belden saw his first panther, he thought it looked as big as a cow!

Male panthers are bigger than female panthers. Males weigh from 45 to 70 kg. Females weigh between 30 and 45 kg. Panthers are from 1.8 to 2.2 m long from their noses to tips of tail. More

Do they have sharp claws and teeth?

Yes, panthers like all cats have very sharp claws and teeth. The need sharp claws and teeth to kill and eat their prey.

Panthers have five inch-long razor-sharp claws on their front feet, and four on their hind feet. The "extra" claw on their front feet is called the dew claw and doesn't touch the ground. Panthers use their claws to grab and hold their prey, to tear meat, and to climb trees. The claws of panthers, like those of all cats are retractable. This means they can tuck them away when they aren't using them. Retracting their claws helps to keep them sharp. It also helps them to walk quietly on hard surfaces. You can hear the clicking of a dog's nails as it walks across a wood floor, but you can't hear a cat as it walks softly on its toes with its claws retracted.

Panthers have four large, sharp pointed teeth called canines for biting prey. At the back of their mouths they have large sharp teeth called carnassials. If you look at the photo of the skull, it appears that they have 3 carnassials on each side of both the lower and upper jaw.
In fact, they have a much smaller (and probably not very useful) fourth carnassial in the upper jaw. They use their carnassials like scissors to cut meat into pieces. If you see a cat tilting its head and chewing on one side of its mouth it's using its carnassials.

Do they have tails?

Yes, panthers have very long round tails with a black tip on the end. Their tails are almost as long as their bodies. Their tails help them balance when they are running and jumping. Panther kittens follow and play with their mother's tail. Playing with their mother's tail helps them perfect the pouncing skills they will need later to be successful hunters.

What kinds of sounds do panthers make?

Panthers growl, purr, hiss, and howl. They sound like housecats only louder! Panther mothers whistle to call their kittens. When frightened, kittens peep like baby birds. More

How long do they live?

Panthers can live 12 years or more in the wild. One female
(panther 11) died in February 2001 at the age of 19-20. More

What do they die from?

Panthers most frequently die from fights with other panthers and from collisions with cars and trucks. More

Can panthers swim?

Yes, panthers can swim. Although they prefer dry ground, panthers sometimes swim across streams and canals. Panthers venture into swamps and marshes to hunt. While flying over the Everglades, biologist Chris Belden once saw a panther swimming.