endangered animals

Mountain lions once roamed the whole United States but they were exterminated from the East and Mid west by the early 1900's. Called by different and various names cougar, wild cat, mountain lions usually prey on deer and elk, but will not eat rabbits or raccoons, beavers, porcupines, birds, and small rodents when food is scarce. Wild cats caused 11 fatalities and four dozen injuries in the past century. Dogs kill 10 to 20 people and injure 2,000,000 more each year.
Another subspecies the Florida Panther has been on the endangered list since 1967 and still in trouble. Wildlife biologist and working to build up the population through Habitats. Highways, traffic, and mercury contamination continue to threat the cats. The cats are mammals in the family Fadidae of the order carnivora which includes all of the carnivores. Cattle are to be protected areas in the spring when lion prey is scarce.
The Florida panther, is a subspecies of the mountain lion, Its former range probably extended from western Louisiana and Arkansas. The Florida Panther population currently numbers between 30 and 50 individuals.
Today the Florida panther's range extends over South Florida mostly south of Lake Okeechobee. The panther's prey base declined and so did the number of panthers. During the 1930's state law protected the dwindling population of panthers. In 1967, the Florida panther was listed by the U.S. fish and wildlife service as an endangered species. With the annual influx of new residents, fruit orchards being moved south due to recent freezes and continuous draining and clearing of land, panther's habitats continue to be destroyed. Its range is currently split in half by the east-west highways known as Alligator Alley. All of these factors have led officials to develop a recovery plan that includes a captive breeding program using a small number of injured animals.

Nederlandse versie volgt z.s.m.

Written by: Antoine (grade 9)

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