Fierce, Fabulous, and Facing Endangernment

Florida Panther

By: Jocelyn Lu, Certified Student

(fws.gov)

Background:

The Florida panther is the last subspecies of Puma that once ranged throughout southeastern U.S., but now they are typically found in south to south central Florida. Florida panther kittens are gray with dark brown or blackish spots with five bands around their tail.However, as the kittens get older, the spots fade away, their eyes turn into a light-brown straw color, and they have a rusty reddish-brown fur on the back and pale grey fur underneath. Adult male panthers can reach up to seven feet in length, 24-28 inches in height, and generally weigh about 116 lbs. They also typically consume one

The panther's dietary breakdown
(Floridapanternet,org)

An adult Florida panther with their kitten.
(burltwpsch.org)

deer-sized prey or multiple preys, such as the white-tailed deer, feral hog, raccoons, armadillos, marsh rabbits, or alligators, every 8-11 days. In contrast, adult female panthers are smaller, weighing an average of 75 lbs and reaching a length of six feet, but only have to eat the same amount of prey every 14-17 days and 3.3 days for a female with kittens. The panthers select their habitats based on the prey availability and usually prefer forest cover types that are located in dense, understory vegetation-cypress swamps, pinelands, and upland hardwood forests. These types of dens provide feeding, resting, and cover for panthers because the location is more secretive and correlates with the panthers’ tendency to occur at low densities. 

Geographic and Population Change:

Where panthers once roamed,
in contrast with where they are now found
(imgarcade.com)

Panthers are wide-ranging mammals that require large areas to meet their social, reproductive, food, and energetic needs. However, due to the effects of numerous threats, the panther is now restricted to less than 5% of its historic range in southeastern U.S. The population now ranges from approximately 2.0 to 2.8 animals per 100 sq. mile. The decline in population density started when humans attempted to eradicate the panthers prior to 1949 because they were allowed to be killed in Florida at any time of the year as a sport. By 1950, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services declared the panther a regulated game species, but quickly after, in 1958, the panthers were given complete legal protection due to continuous population decline from an accumulation of threats.

Panther Status:

The Florida Panthers were declared endangered in 1958 in Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, and Mississippi and have had three revised recovery plans since then, with the most recent revision being in 2008. Recovery of these animals is crucial because the decline in population is leading to a lack of genetic diversity and is largely due to urbanization.

Cause of Endangerment:

A panther resting on a log in its habitat
(Palmbeachzoo.org)

The endangerment of this subspecies is a result of multiple factors that are greatly impacting their population. One major factor is habitat fragmentation due to urbanization and general economic growth. Since panthers require wide-ranging movements and extensive spatial requirements for prosperity, they are especially vulnerable to alterations in their habitats from competition with human growth/development. Human disturbance in the Southeast directly relates to a decrease in potentially suitable habitat for the panthers and the opportunity for panther reintroduction. Establishment of highways through the wildlife habitats created potential traffic-related source of mortality from lack of adequate fencing and threatened population expansion by isolating the panthers in areas that hinder their chances of survival and recovery. Another major threat is the loss of genetic diversity throughout the years. These panthers have lost approximately 60-90% of its genetic diversity, allowing the potential for an infectious disease to dramatically impact this subspecies. For example, the highly prevalent parasite, Ancylostoma pluridentatum, results in anemia and poor body condition. Also, there is an increase in the feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) that is endemic to the panther population. Some abnormalities that have prevailed in the small panther population include cryptorchidism (one or two undescended testicles), low sperm quality, and immune deficiencies. Habitat loss, degradation (from invasive plants), and fragmentation may be the greatest threat to the panther survival, but the lack of human tolerance threatens their recovery.

(jaquithurlowlippisch.com)

Recovery Plan:

The recovery goal is to maintain, restore, and expand its habitat to its historic range beyond south Florida. The strategy also includes reintroducing populations to more areas and educating the public about the decline in the panthers to foster a greater public understanding and support. This plan is built upon habitat conservation and reducing habitat-related threats so that one day, the panther species can reestablish viable populations in its previous range.

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