The Florida Panther

Species name: Florida Panther (Felis concolor coryi)

Habitat: Dense, subtropical forest, swampy areas, occasionally pine forests.

Range: Formerly across the American Southeast; now restricted to a small area of southern Florida.

Population: 30 to 50.

(Photo credit: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. ) From Environmental Views Series: Endangered Species CD-ROM, Optilearn, Inc., 715- 344-6060.

The panther -- also known as cougar, mountain lion, puma and catamount -- was once the most widely distributed mammal (other than humans) in North and South America, but it is now virtually gone from the eastern U.S. Habitat loss has driven the subspecies known as the Florida panther into a small area, where the few remaining animals are highly inbred, causing such genetic flaws as heart defects and sterility. Recently, closely-related panthers from Texas were released in Florida and are successfully breeding with the Florida panthers. The best hope for this rare subspecies of panther is to protect its habitat, 53 percent of which is on private land. Although some forms of development are tolerated by the Florida panther, intensive agriculture, such as citrus groves and vegetables farms, is not. Tax incentives for ranchland and forestland owners who maintain habitat for Florida panthers could help save the species.