Florida Panther Black

The florida panther is an endangered subspecies of cougar puma concolor that lives in forests and swamps of southern florida in the united states.

Florida panther black. These habitats are for the protection of the florida panther. If you look closely at either a black leopard or black jaguar in the sun you can still see their spots. As they get older the spots start to fade and the cat s fur turns tan while the eyes turn yellow. Perceived as a threat to humans livestock and game animals the species was nearly extinct by the mid 1950s.

Infamous zoo operator joe exotic gave one of his last interviews to animal planet before his arrest. As the panther grows the spots fade and the coat becomes completely tan while the eyes typically take on a yellow hue. Today the primary threats to the remaining panther population are habitat loss fragmentation and degradation. The florida panther is an opportunistic hunter and will eat both small and large animals.

Florida panthers are usually found in pinelands hardwood hammocks and mix swamp forests. At birth a florida panther has spots and blue eyes. Florida panther kittens are gray with dark brown or blackish spots and five bands around the tail. Florida panthers are only found in the tan color.

Florida panthers are very solitary animals. Generally florida panthers live in forested areas. Whereas the tip of the tail back of the ears and sides of the muzzle are blackish there has never been a melanistic black puma documented in north or south america. Florida panthers were heavily hunted after 1832 when a bounty on panthers was created.

It is the leopard or jaguar that can have a black coat and gets the nickname black panther but there is no separate black cat called a panther. The florida panther is mostly confined to southwest florida usually in pinelands hardwood hammocks and mixed swamp forests. A male florida panther in babcock ranch state preserve. Like other species of wild cats the florida panther is a carnivore.

The panther s underbelly is a creamy white and it has black tips on the tail and ears. Are florida panther black. Florida panthers are an endangered species less than 100 are believed to exist in the wild. The underside is dull white or buff colored.

Hares and mice are as much a part of this cat s diet as pigs. Adult males may range over an area of 200 square miles while females range over a 70 to 80 square mile area. Males have home ranges of up to 200 square miles and will defend their turf against other males in deadly fights. Florida panther by dave wright.