Florida Black Panther Population

Florida panther member of a population of large new world cats of the species puma concolor family felidae confined to a small isolated and inbred group in southern florida and protected by the u s.

Florida black panther population. In south florida it lives in pinelands tropical hardwood hammocks and mixed freshwater swamp forests. Florida panthers are the only breeding group of pumas in the eastern united states. The florida panther is the most endangered cat in north america. The florida panther is a north american cougar p.

Although occasional sightings and signs were reported throughout the rural southeast between 1950 and 1980 the only confirmed panther population was found in south florida anderson 1983. The most common black panthers are leopards or jaguars. While their acknowledged natural range ends in southern texas a small breeding population was introduced to florida in the 1940 s and there are rumors of people breeding them as pets there as well. The florida panther is a subspecies of puma concolor also known as mountain lion cougar or puma and represents the only known breeding population of puma in the eastern united states.

By 2007 the florida panther population had responded by tripling to about 100 animals. Five of the eight texas panthers produced litters and at least 20 kittens were born. Males can weigh up to 73 kg 161 lb and live within a range that includes the big cypress national preserve everglades national park the florida panther national wildlife refuge picayune strand state forest rural. Abundant evidence supports the benefits accrued to the florida panther puma concolor coryi population via the genetic introgression project implemented in south florida usa in 1995 since then genetic diversity has improved the frequency of morphological and biomedical correlates of inbreeding depression have declined and the population size has increased.

Endangered species act 1973. Jaguarundis hunting territory can extend to 100km wide for males and it s quite. No source can accurately estimate the number of black panthers in the world because the black panther is not a single species. With only 100 160 cats in the wild the panther most likely would not exist without the endangered species act.

The problem is that the nearest population of pumas to the florida panther population lies in texas several states away so without natural or assisted gene flow from periodic translocation the genetic diversity of these cats will only decrease. The only known breeding population of panthers is in south florida although its historic range covered the entire southeastern united states. In 1967 the department of the interior listed the florida panther as an endangered subspecies. Geographic isolation of the florida panther combined with habitat loss population decline and associated inbreeding resulted in significant loss of.