Florida Panther

Florida panthers are a beautiful golden subspecies of cougar that is found only in South Florida. These cougars used to range across the southeastern United States including Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, and parts of Tennessee and South Carolina. Florida panthers are the only cougars left in the eastern United States. They are the only cougars to be found east of the Mississippi River.

If you are lucky, you may spot one when visiting Everglades National Park, the Big Cypress National Preserve, or the Fakahatchee Strand State Preserve. Find out more about this amazing animal.

Learn more about what there is to see and do at Everglades National Park.

The Florida panther is one of 32 subspecies of cougar. This species of animal is known by many names, including cougar, puma, mountain lion, and panther. But Florida’s native golden beauty is always called the Florida panther. It has a golden tan color, with a whitish gray belly, and black-tipped ears and tail. Babies have a spotted coat and blue eyes, but the eyes turn more yellow when they mature.

The Florida panther is one of the most endangered mammals in the world. There are only about 100 left. Although it had been a protected species for several decades, the population has not come back to strong levels. Human development has encroached on their territory, leading to deaths by car collisions, as well as conflicts between panthers as they fight over a smaller and smaller territory.

The small population has led to inbreeding, resulting in some prevalent health problems.

Great efforts have been made by state and federal agencies to protect the Florida panther. The challenge is great because each breeding unit needs a large area – about 200 square miles – to call their own. A breeding unit consists of 1 male and 2 to 5 females. They are solitary and territorial animals that travel hundreds of miles within their home range. A small number of females from a closely-related subspecies from Texas have been introduced, and this has helped a bit with the inbreeding problems.

Florida panthers occupy a section of Southwest Florida that includes Everglades National Park, the Big Cypress National Preserve, and the Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge. The Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge is a 26,400-acre area that was established in 1989. It was established by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, under the Endangered Species Act. This protected area is intended are a refuge for protect the Florida Panther, as well as a number of other threatened plant and animal species. The area is largely closed to the public, but public sections include Everglades National Park, the Big Cypress National Preserve, and the Fakahatchee Strand State Preserve.

Florida panthers primarily eat white-tailed deer. They have also been known to eat wild hog, rabbit, hare, raccoon, armadillo, stork and other birds. They have a lifespan of 10-15 years. They reach up to about 7 feet in length for males, and 6 feet for females. Males weigh an average of 130 pounds, and females average 70 pounds. The Florida panther is Florida’s state animal. It is also the mascot of the Florida Panthers NHL hockey team, and the Florida International University Golden Panthers.