A Sin of Omission

Feline Squeamish #1 and Feline Squeamish #2 have asked us to bring something to your attention. We let the weekend go by without mentioning Save the Florida Panther Day, the culmination of Save the Florida Panther Week. Our apologies; let us correct this immediately.

With a population count at less than one hundred according to most sources, the Florida Panther (appropriately the state animal) is a kitty that teeter-totters on the brink of extinction. Like most animals on the endangered list, the main cause of their dwindling numbers is destruction of their natural habitat and the introduction of highways (and the vehicles that travel on them) into their grounds. The interruption of the natural cycles of flora because of wildfire prevention and introduction of canals to corral the water table for development has also led to a decrease in the deer population, the Panther's major prey. Because of its severely limited numbers, the Florida Panther also suffers from the genetic repercussions of inbreeding.

Recently, Florida has put several programs into place so as to not sit idly by an let this happen. When large parts of Alligator Alley (a major east-west route across the state) were renovated in the mid 1990's, they included underpasses for wildlife to safely move from one side of the highway to the other, as well as netting and fences that encourage use of the underpasses. Alligator Alley and other highways that cross panther country have limited speed limits at dusk and dawn, when panthers are most active. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has worked with a big cat rescue facility in Texas on a captive breeding program, which incorporates, but is not limited to, cross-breeding with eastern Texas varieties of big cats. (Before their numbers were thinned, these felines regularly interacted with each other as their natural habitats overlapped. This is an effort to recreate that and eliminate some of the genetic complications from inbred cats.) Through these and other efforts, the population has increased from about 30 in 1990 to almost 100 currently. Despite this small victory, the Florida Panther remains critically endangered and continues to struggle. This year already has seen 14 panthers hit by cars and killed.

If you would like to help:
Florida Panther Net
The Florida Panther Refuge