Opinion ID: 718818
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Florida Panther and the Eastern Indigo Snake

Text: 3 The Florida Panther (Felis concolor coryi ) was listed as endangered in 1967. See 32 Fed.Reg. 4001. This panther, which is a subspecies of the cougar, is a large, slender cat, tawny above and whitish below. David S. Maehr, The Florida Panther, in 1 Rare and Endangered Biota of Florida 176 (Stephen R. Humphrey et al. eds., 1992) (hereinafter Maehr). According to the Fish and Wildlife Service (the F.W.S.), the Florida Panther is one of the most endangered large mammals in the world. F.W.S. Biological Opinion for the Sarasota Landfill Project at 10 (April 3, 1995) (hereinafter F.W.S. Opinion). 1 Although the Florida Panther once ranged throughout the Southeastern United States, it has been reduced to a single population in south Florida. The geographic isolation, habitat loss, small population size, and associated inbreeding of the remaining population have resulted in a significant loss of health and genetic variability in Florida Panthers. F.W.S. Opinion at 10-11. According to current estimates, there are only thirty to fifty adult Florida Panthers left in the wild. 2 Id. However, the record in this case indicates that there have been no confirmed sightings of the Florida Panther in the area in which the landfill is to be built. 3 4 The Eastern Indigo Snake (Drymarchon corais couperi ) was listed as threatened in 1978. See 43 Fed.Reg. 4028. Measuring up to 8 1/2 feet, this docile, nonpoisonous snake is the longest found in North America. Paul E. Mohler, The Eastern Indigo Snake, in 3 Rare and Endangered Biota of Florida 181 (Paul E. Mohler et al. eds. 1992) (hereinafter Mohler). Although this iridescent black snake once ranged throughout Florida, Georgia, southeastern South Carolina, southern Alabama, and southern Mississippi, its known populations are now restricted to certain areas in Florida and Georgia. F.W.S. Opinion at 24. The F.W.S. has not yet designated any critical habitat for the Eastern Indigo Snake.