endangered animals

The Florida Panther is a subspecies of the cougar, a large cat that once roamed from the Yukon to the tip of South America but now is extinct throughout much of its former range. The panther has many common names including mountain lion, cougar, puma, and catamount. Today, the Florida Panther is the only large cat living in the wild east of the Mississippi. In the American west and in South America, cougars still exist, but the Florida panther, a subspecies is on the brink of extinction. With an estimated 30 to 50 individuals left, the panther is considered by many experts to be one of the most endangered mammals in the world. The remaining Florida panthers now live in the Big Cypress National Preserve (plus adjacent private lands), and Everglades National Park, both in the southern part of the state. All research on the Florida panther has centered on this South Florida population and the Florida Game Commission does not officially acknowledge that any panthers exist elsewhere. Although there have been sightings by knowledgeable observers scattered around the state. The panther is an elusive animal most experts believe there are no panthers living undetected in other parts of Florida.
Ranchers who wished to protect their cattle hunted Florida panthers relentlessly in earlier years. Deer hunters reduced the number of deer, which is the main source of food for the panther. Lately, the biggest threat has been the rapid destruction of their habitat due to development.
Panthers need a lot of space for hunting and breeding. Over development and the southward expansion of the citrus industry has resulted in the loss of many areas formerly suitable for panthers, and what were once extensive forests have become isolated fragments. With the remaining population so small, inbreeding has become a big problem.
Florida panthers don't dig their dens. They usually find a crevice under roots, fallen trees or palmettos. The cougar has been considered a serious pest species in the west, because the big cats killed sheep and cattle. In Florida, although, panthers may have occasionally killed livestock, they were never a major pest. The Florida panther preferred deer and wild hogs. However, they were perceived as a threat and the loss of panthers was due in part to hunting as well as loss of habitat.
For years, hunting of cougars was encouraged nationwide by a bounty system. In Florida, a $500 bounty was paid for panther pelts until late in the last century. Sport hunting of cougars is still allowed in most western states. California has banned sport hunting of cougars and many states are likely to follow because cougar populations are decreasing. The Florida panther was first protected by Florida law in 1958 and listed as an endangered subspecies by the United States in 1967.

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Written by: Eric

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