by Sylvester Pierpoint (aka John Jeffries)

Created on: February 15, 2009

THE FLORIDA PANTHER A dangerous animal or an animal in danger? An animal that once ranged throughout most of the southeast now finds itself confined to less than 5% of its former historic range. The only breeding population of the Florida Panther is located in South Florida and totals approximately 80 animals remaining in the wild. The total had fallen to 30 before a concerted effort on the part of the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission in conjunction with other State and local wildlife interests developed plans to save this endangered species.

Together these agencies developed and initiated the "Florida Panther Recovery Plan." A team of 42 members was formed and run by the USFWS to study ways to protect and increase this population and improve the health and well being of these animals. Just recently eight female cougars from a closely related Texas population were introduced into the Florida population to increase the herd size and mitigate inbreeding problems. The team uses known scientific methods to track and frequently check individual animals. The most prevalent dangers the Panther faces are habitat shrinkage, automobile accidents, urbanization and agricultural development.

The ultimate goal of the USFWS is to be able to completely remove the Florida Panther from the endangered list and possibly reintroduce the animal to its former territory in other parts of the southeast; a long and tedious goal indeed. Hunters who frequent the areas where panthers are known to reside are for the most part fully aware of the plight of the animal and will do all possible not to cause any undue harm toward his health and future well being. By and large hunters are environmentalists at heart and are very protective of the area in which they hunt and the game that lives there.

As the panther population increases so does the people population. This creates a dilemma expanding the danger to the Panther's existence due to the necessity for continual shrinkage of habitat and represents an ongoing threat. It has been determined that each breeding unit consisting of one male and two to five females requires 200 square miles of habitat. You look at the size of the Everglades National Park and wonder what could be the problem. More people increase the need for more food which requires the need for more agricultural fields. Most of these fields border on the edge of the park.

The constant battle between man and animal for living space has become quite serious in some cities. Los Angeles for example has coyotes that roam the streets and alleyways in suburban areas because there is no more wild' left for them to live in. You continue to hear more and more stories about animals like bear and deer frequently being spotted in people's yards. In South Florida right now its alligators coming out of lakes and walking across yards and sometimes attacking small dogs and cats. In one reported case someone left the back door of the house open and a lady walked into her kitchen to see a huge gator standing there and looking up at her.

Everyone in the country, not just South Florida, should hope and pray that the plan to save the Florida Panther proves successful and we won't need to be on the lookout for Panthers walking around in our back yards.

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