Now one of the world s rarest mammals, the Florida panther historically roamed parts of Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee and South Carolina as well as Florida. Surviving panthers are now found only in southern Florida. The remaining animals are in Charlotte, Collier, Hendry, Lee and Glades counties, the Fakahatchee Strand area, Big Cypress National Preserve and Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge and on adjacent private lands. The panther has been listed as endangered since 1973. Our long-range goal is to recover the panther population and to make those responsible for development in south Florida stop and consider all the implications of their actions before they destroy what little is left of the undisturbed areas in the region.
Male panthers can measure as much as seven feet from nose to tail.
They can weigh more than 100 pounds. Adults have light tawny fur, a pale grey underbelly and longer, more slender tails and legs than other mountain lions. Panther kittens are spotted for the first year, helping to camouflage them against predators. Females give birth to one to four kittens. Panthers hunt wild hogs, deer and raccoons.