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The critically endangered Florida Panther is a large mammal of the cat family that lives in the forests and swamps of Southern Florida. The name was in use in medieval England for the leopard itself but was later used by sportsmen in India for the black or melanistic variety. It has also been applied to the jaguar of South America. It is a subspecies of the mountain lion ( also called cougar or puma ). Mountain lions once roamed throughout the United States, Mexico, and Southern Canada. However, settlers destroyed most of the mountain lions and much of their habitat east of the Rocky Mountains. By the late 1800's, most of the remaining mountain lions east of the Rockies lived in Texas and Florida. As a result of this separation, Florida Panthers became genetically distinct from their western relatives. Today, only 30 to 50 Florida Panthers survive in the wild. Adults tend to live alone, except when mating. They prey chiefly on white-tailed deer. They also eat raccoons and other small mammals. Human
expansion in Southern Florida continue to reduce the habitat of the
panther and endangers its survival in the wild as many are killed by
vehicles. Mercury and pesticide contamination in the animals habitat
also pose threats. In addition, inbreeding within the small population
has reduced genetic diversity among the panthers, making them more vulnerable
to disease. |