-The scientific name of the Florida Panther is Puma concolor coryi, but most commonly goes by Florida Panther. The higher classification is a cougar.
-The Florida Panther lives in both wetlands, and drylands, including cypress forests, thicket swamps, freshwater marshes, hardwood hammocks, saw palmetto woodlands, and pine flatwoods. The Florida panther likes areas with lots of cover.
-Florida Panthers are carnivores and hunt for their food, white-tailed deer are its primary food source, but also hunt down animals like, feral hogs, rabbits, raccoons, armadillos, and birds. In their South Florida habitat, Florida Panthers are the top predators, and regulate the food chain when they hunt for their food. It keeps the numbers of the prey in check and balance.
-As seen in the photo, from jacquithurlowlippisch.com, Florida Panthers have short, light brown fur and a white muzzle, chest, and stomach. It has a long tail with a slight crook in it, these features create differences compared to the mountain lion.
-The Florida Panther needs a large area to survive and has been listed as endangered since 1967, and was once down to 25 individuals. These animals are threatened from habitat loss, collisions with cars, the ill effects of inbreeding, and high levels of mercury in their prey.
-TNC is leading an effort to conserve Florida Panther habitats, by establishing connections to existing protected lands, that encompass a variety of habitat types, from native lands to working lands. The animal can also be helped by constructing highway underpasses and by helping maintain habitat connectivity for panthers.
