| There are 30-50
panthers left. Saving this animal is very important
because it is Florida's state animal. Originally it was seen as
far west as Texas, but
now it is only found in Florida. |
| The
Florida panther is a type of cougar that has adapted for the sub-tropical climate of
Florida. It lives in swamp forests and pinelands mainly in the
everglades. |
| They
reach maturity at 3 years. The male weighs 120 lbs. the
average female weighs about 70 lbs. |
| Florida
panthers eat white tailed deer, wild hogs, rabbits, armadillo, and birds. |
| The
main
problem is loss of habitat. Inbreeding is another problem
which weakens the species. In 1995, conservationists
released 8 Texas cougars into South Florida hoping to strengthen
the genetics of the Florida Panther. |
| Finding
a panther is rare, because they don’t like to encounter humans.
If you ever meet one, stay
calm, don’t make sudden movements, and don’t run away. After
a while they will go away. You can slowly walk backwards while
yelling just like you would for a bear. Find a weapon like a
stick, but don’t
attack them unless they attack you |
