Panthers in Trouble

Describe a Florida Panther

Panther Families

Panther Diet

Panther Habitat

Why are panthers special?

The Florida panther is the only population of mountain lions east of the Mississippi River. The panther is a symbol of beauty, of wilderness, and survival. In 1967 the federal government listed the Florida panther as endangered. In 1982 Florida school children chose the panther over the manatee, the alligator, and the key deer as the state animal. More

The panther is a large predator. Predators help to keep the natural world in balance. Protecting panthers also protects many other plants and animals that live in Florida. More

What does endangered mean?

Endangered means that without human help an animal or plant will become extinct. Extinct means that the animal or plant will never again exist on Earth.

How many panthers are there?

There are 50 to 70 adult panthers in Florida.

Why are panthers endangered?

Panthers are endangered for many reasons.
One is loss of habitat. Florida panthers need lots of space with plenty of deer or other large prey. In Florida, habitat has been lost to cities, housing developments, and farms. More

Many Florida panthers have been killed trying to cross highways. Underpasses built along some highways have helped, but panthers are still being killed on other roads. More

Another problem is that Florida panthers have become isolated from other groups of mountain lions. Mountain lions, especially males, travel long distances to find mates. This helps keep the population strong and healthy. Because Florida panthers live in a small, isolated population, they often have no choice but to mate with close relatives. Mating with close relatives is called inbreeding and may cause health problem in the population. More

The future of the Florida panther is also endangered by negative attitudes some people have towards them. More

What is being done to help panthers?

Many people are working to help the Florida panther.
Since 1981 biologists from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission have studied the Florida panther. They have put radio collars on panthers to track their movements. This has helped them to understand how much land panthers need to survive. Wildlife veterinarians have also studied and treated Florida panthers. These studies found that panthers have health problems from inbreeding. Vets have helped panthers by vaccinating them against diseases and by treating injuries. See a panther vet exam (requires Real player).

State and federal agencies have bought land for the panther. They are also working with people who own large amounts of land to encourage them to keep their land healthy for panthers. More, more

In 1995, 8 female Texas cougars were released in south Florida to breed with Florida panthers. In the past, Florida panthers bred with Texas cougars on the edges of their ranges. This helped keep both populations healthy. Introduction of the Texas cougars has increased the health and the numbers of Florida panthers. More See reports on Florida Panther Genetic Restoration and Management and Current Panther Distribution and Habitat Use (both require Acrobat Reader).

Special highway underpasses have been built to protect panthers from being killed crossing highways. More