Florida Panther
Final Project Outline
Kristen Proctor
03/05/2011
SCI/230
Sue Fulton
The Florida panther is a beautiful subtropical subspecies of the North American cougar. Unfortunately the Florida panther is one of the most endangered animals in the world. The Florida panther was one of the first species to be added to the U.S. Endangered Species List in 1973. Most Florida panthers remain alive in captivity; there are less than one hundred panthers in the wild. The few that are still in the wild are found in a few places in southern Florida. Places like the Everglades National Park and the Big Cypress National Preserve. The Florida panther is a member of the Felidae family and its genus is puma. The species for a Florida panther is concolor coryi. This cat is a large cat with distinctive markings. It is a tan colored cat with black markings that cover the end of the tail, the back of the ears, and around their nose. The male panther is larger than the female panther and they range typically from six to seven feet long. The Florida panther is a carnivore and is a very skilled hunter. Their typical diet includes animals such as deer, raccoons, feral hogs, birds, and many other medium sized animals. They have been known in some places to enter farm land and kill livestock also. The natural habitat for a Florida panther is warm and being in southern Florida their habitats range from swampy wetlands to upland forests. The Florida panther used to range most of the Southeastern United States, from Louisiana and Kentucky down thru the southern states and to the southern tip of Florida. The typical lifespan of a Florida panther used to be approximately twelve years in the wild. Unfortunately, with such a small amount left in the wild the Florida panther is becoming more susceptible to diseases, genetic disorders due to inbreeding, and death due to car accidents. Communication between Florida panthers includes purring, hissing, growling,
Kristen Proctor
03/05/2011
SCI/230
Sue Fulton
The Florida panther is a beautiful subtropical subspecies of the North American cougar. Unfortunately the Florida panther is one of the most endangered animals in the world. The Florida panther was one of the first species to be added to the U.S. Endangered Species List in 1973. Most Florida panthers remain alive in captivity; there are less than one hundred panthers in the wild. The few that are still in the wild are found in a few places in southern Florida. Places like the Everglades National Park and the Big Cypress National Preserve. The Florida panther is a member of the Felidae family and its genus is puma. The species for a Florida panther is concolor coryi. This cat is a large cat with distinctive markings. It is a tan colored cat with black markings that cover the end of the tail, the back of the ears, and around their nose. The male panther is larger than the female panther and they range typically from six to seven feet long. The Florida panther is a carnivore and is a very skilled hunter. Their typical diet includes animals such as deer, raccoons, feral hogs, birds, and many other medium sized animals. They have been known in some places to enter farm land and kill livestock also. The natural habitat for a Florida panther is warm and being in southern Florida their habitats range from swampy wetlands to upland forests. The Florida panther used to range most of the Southeastern United States, from Louisiana and Kentucky down thru the southern states and to the southern tip of Florida. The typical lifespan of a Florida panther used to be approximately twelve years in the wild. Unfortunately, with such a small amount left in the wild the Florida panther is becoming more susceptible to diseases, genetic disorders due to inbreeding, and death due to car accidents. Communication between Florida panthers includes purring, hissing, growling,
References: National Wildlife Federation. (2011). Florida Panther. Retrieved from: http://www.nwf.org/Wildlife/Wildlife-Library/Mammals/Florida-Panther.aspx FloridaPanther.com. (2011). Florida Panther. Retrieved from: http://www.floridapanther.com/articles/FLORIDA%20PANTHER.htm