IUCN / SSC Cat Specialist Group - Digital Cat Library |
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| Criffield, M. | |
| Florida Panther Status Report | |
| 2014 Conference Proceeding | |
Florida panthers (_Puma concolor coryi_) are federally classified as endangered by the Endangered Species Act and protected in Florida. As such, panthers are managed under the Florida Panther Recovery Plan with the overall goal of achieving long-term viability and delisting. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) initiated research on Florida panthers in 1981. Over the last 33 years, with assistance from our Federal partners, we have radiocollared 229 panthers, and handled 405 neonate kittens at dens. The FWC continues to assess progress towards panther recovery via long-term monitoring, research initiatives aimed at assessing population parameters, and working to resolve human-panther conflicts coinciding with a growing panther population in shrinking habitat. The FWC and our partners are currently focused on several research studies including: 1) assessing multiple techniques to derive a statistically defensible panther population estimate; 2) continued assessment of the impacts of genetic restoration; and 3) monitoring the potential impacts of wildlife diseases on panther recovery. The FWC and the University of Florida are collaborating on research aimed at garnering a better understanding of human dimension issues associated with an expanding panther population. These include an assessment of the causes of calf mortality on ranching operations in Southwestern Florida and determining economically feasible methods of providing incentive programs to private landowners to conserve and manage their land in ways that benefit both traditional land uses and habitat for panthers. Florida panther recovery relies on long-term monitoring data to guide public land habitat management, minimize loss of habitat from new developments and to support cooperative programs with private landowners to help conserve remaining panther habitat in Florida. |
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