Endangered Florida Panthers Animal

In south florida it lives in pinelands tropical hardwood hammocks and mixed freshwater swamp forests.

Endangered florida panthers animal. Panthers are an umbrella species. The recovery goal is to achieve viability of the florida panther to a point where it can be reclassified from endangered to threatened and then removed from the federal list of endangered and threatened species. The florida panther is one of the most endangered animals in the world. The florida panther is the most endangered cat in north america.

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. Despite being the florida state animal and beloved by many florida panthers generate some controversy. Hunting decimated the population badly and it was one of the first species added to the u s. Radio telemetry has also tracked panthers into locations ranging from the st.

Florida panthers are the only breeding group of pumas in the eastern united states. Pis and elfenbein say. Endangered florida panthers filmed fighting for the first time. The florida panther is the only subspecies of mountain lion that remains in the eastern united states.

An adult male florida panther in fakahatchee strand preserve state park. In 1967 the department of the interior listed the florida panther as an endangered subspecies. Photo by david shindle. The only known breeding population of panthers is in south florida although its historic range covered the entire southeastern united states.

Endangered species act 1973. Endangered species list in 1973. The florida panther s current status is listed as endangered. With only 100 160 cats in the wild the panther most likely would not exist without the endangered species act.

The only known wild breeding population occurs in south florida within the big cypress swamp region. 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. The fish and wildlife service estimates that 230 adult panthers survive in florida today and while this is a marked recovery they are still one of the most endangered mammals in the world. Protecting them and the vast unspoiled wild territory each one needs to survive an average of 200 square miles for a single male protects many other plants and animals.

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.