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Where do
panthers live?
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Panthers live in the undeveloped lands of southwestern Florida.
More
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How
much land do panthers need?
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Panthers need lots of land. The area where a panther hunts is its
home range. Panthers space themselves so they will have enough food.
If panthers live close together, soon all the deer would be gone,
and they wouldn't have enough to eat. The home range of male panthers
is about 520 square km. That's about 400 times as large as Disney's
Magic Kingdom. The female's range is about 195 km. That's about
150 times as large as the Magic Kingdom! More,
more
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Did
Florida panthers ever live any place else except south Florida?
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Yes, Florida panthers once lived throughout the southeastern United
States. More,
more
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Where
are you most likely to find a panther?
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Unless you are very lucky, you will probably never see a panther
in the wild. Panthers usually rest during the day hidden in thickets
of palmetto. At dusk they begin to travel and hunt.
Panthers
prefer hardwood hammocks and pine forests with lots of saw palmettos
for resting, raising kittens, and stalking prey. More
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How
do you know if panthers are around?
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"A cougar is like a light breeze in the country. At first you're
not aware it's there. But as you slowly become more attuned, you
begin to feel it on the back of your neck"-John Seidensticker
Panthers
are rarely seen in the wild. But panthers leave evidence of their
presence behind. Like detectives, biologists look for this evidence,
which they call sign. Tracks,
scrapes, scratches,
scat (feces),
and prey remains are all sign. More
Who
has been here? (click photos for answer)
Play
Panther
Mystery games to learn more about panther sign.
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Do
panthers live in trees?
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Panthers do not live in trees. The only time they climb trees is
to escape from dogs. Biologists use tracking dogs to help capture
panthers. Biologists capture panthers to put on radiocollars and
for vet care. See a panther
vet exam (requires Real player).
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