Florida Panther

Florida Panther
(Puma concolor coryi)

The Florida Panther is Florida's state animal. It is estimated that only 80 Florida Panthers remain in the wild. The Florida Panther was placed on the endangered species list in 1967. About 30 to 35 juvenile and adult Florida Panthers wear radio collars as part of the Florida Panther Recovery Program. Download the PDF file to the right for detailed information about the Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge. (PDF is 2 MB so it will take awhile to download.)

Florida Panther Fun Facts:

• Adult male Panthers defend territories of around 200 sq. miles while female Panthers have territories of around 75 sq. miles.

• Female Panthers generally have a litter of 1 to 3 kittens every other year.

• Mothers stay with their young for about 1.5 to 2 years.

• Males weight around 120 pounds and are 7 ft long from nose to end of tail. (Panther's tails are 2/3 of their body length.)

• Panthers can leap more than 15 feet and can run 35 miles per hour for short distances.

• Panthers like to eat deer and wild pigs.

Historically Florida Panthers lived in Florida, South Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, Alabama, Tennessee and some think they reached into Texas. Today they only live in parts of Southern Florida including the Everglades and the Big Cypress Swamp. The Florida Panther is threatened by the destruction of their habitat, collisions with automobiles, and genetic defects caused by extensive inbreeding. The US Fish & Wildlife Service and many private organizations are fighting to save the Florida Panther from extinction. Read about the Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge at the top right of this page.

USFWS - Florida Panther Conservation Plan
Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge
PDF (1,996 KB)

NPS Photo - Deborah Jansen

USFWS Photo - R.H. Barett

NPS Photo - Deborah Jansen

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