The Florida panther is one of the most endangered large mammals in the world. Reduced to a single population of an estimated 30-50 adults, the Florida panther has been isolated from other panther populations for more than a century. In 1967, it was designated as a federal endangered species. Adult males weigh between 106 to 154 pounds, and measure nearly seven feet from the nose to the tip of the tail. Females are smaller, weighing 65 to 100 pounds.
Panthers are solitary creatures that require a large area for their home range.
Their preferred habitat is the hardwood hammocks and pine flatwoods that are considered uplands in south Florida, though they also hunt in wetlands. Home ranges of male panthers average 200 square miles, and overlap with other males is minimal. The home ranges for female panthers are smaller, averaging 75 square miles. Panthers need large home ranges to ensure that they have a sufficient amount of prey. They prefer to eat white-tailed deer and feral hogs, but will eat raccoons, armadillos, rabbits, birds and alligators when large prey is scarce.