Edge of Extinction

The Florida Panther is a separate population of the big cat known by many as mountain lion, cougar, or panther. Unlike their mountain-dwelling relatives, the Florida Panther prefers a flatter habitat of tropical hardwoods and freshwater swamps. Seldom seen, the elusive big cat has become a symbol in the sunshine state, earning the title of state animal, as well as the namesake of a Florida NHL team!

As European settlement in the United States exploded during the 19th century, the Florida Panther's population did the opposite. These big cats, and predators throughout the US, were seen as nuisances to both livestock and big game alike, and it became common practice to eradicate them from the landscape.

The Territorial Legislature Act of 1832 allowed counties to set bounties on the Florida Panther, further encouraging their extermination. By 1887, these bounties were mandated by the state of Florida.

The expansion of the Miami-Ft. Lauderdale Metro area in the 20th century, along with ever-growing destruction of the everglades further decimated Florida Panther populations.

By 1967, the Florida Panther was placed on the endangered species list, with no clear information on how many remained in the wild.

For the next decade, much work was done to track and survey the remaining panther population. The World Wildlife Fund hired panther expert Roy McBride to track the remaining population. He concluded that fewer than 20 individuals remained by 1980.

By the 1990s, the remaining Florida Panther population had become so inbred that the remaining females exhibited extreme reductions in fertility rate. To combat this, 8 female panthers from Texas, the population genetically closest to the Florida Panther, were introduced in south Florida.

This introduction was an overwhelming success, as panther populations have exploded since 1995.

Populations have leveled off since 2012 with a little more than 200 individuals in the wild.

While the Florida Panther made a miraculous comeback across South Florida, death by humans, and specifically their cars, has remained a persistent problem in recent years.

While the Florida Panther comeback has been widely successful, vehicular trauma still remains a major concern. Wildlife underpasses have been moderately successful means to curve panther road kills. However, these locations are few and far between, and vehicular trauma remains a major cause of death in panthers.

Despite their major comeback, 200 individuals is not enough to constitute a recovery great enough for their removal from the endangered species list. Much more needs to be done to return panther populations across Florida. In order to do this, further protection of ideal potential breeding areas must occur.

The nature conservancy estimates that three separate breeding locations are needed to remove the endangered species designation. In America's fourth most populated and fastest growing state, preserving these critical will prove to be a make or break moment for the Florida panther. Without it, the Florida Panther will likely remain on the endangered species list permanently.