Defenders of Wildlife Blog

It’s that time of year again… Save the Florida Panther Week! And the celebration of Florida’s official state animal is in full swing. Where do the endangered big cats stand today? We caught up with Defenders’ Florida director Laurie Macdonald to find out.

Defenders: 2011 wasn’t a great year for Florida panthers, with a record-tying 24 deaths recorded. Are the numbers looking any better in the new year?

Laurie: The good news is, the panther population throughout the state is holding at 100-160 animals. But while that recovery is a vast improvement from the low numbers seen in the late 1960s (only 20-30 animals in the entire state), we’re not out of the woods yet—the Florida panther remains one of the most endangered cats in the world. Already, five panthers have died in 2012, with three of those caused by collisions with vehicles, reminding us we still have work to do to protect these animals.

Defenders: Accidents while crossing roads continues to be a leading threat to the recovery of these animals–what progress is being made to make Florida roads safer for panthers?

Laurie: The past few months have been exciting times for panther recovery! In December, we were thrilled to see a slow speed nighttime panther zone designated at CR 832/Keri Road, where nine panthers have been killed since 1996. And then in January, a Remote Animal Detection System (RADS) was installed along a deadly stretch of US-41 in the state’s Big Cypress National Preserve. The system is being monitored now to determine whether it is effective in detecting big cats and if it can be used in other parts of the state. These are projects that will help us make roads not only safer for wildlife like panthers, but for people too.

Defenders: Improving passage for panthers wasn’t the only good news for the endangered cats this winter, was it?

Laurie: I’m happy to say it wasn’t! Also in January, Secretary Interior Ken Salazar announced the creation of the Everglades Headwaters National Wildlife Refuge and Conservation Area, an area north of Lake Okeechobee and valuable panther habitat. This was a huge boost for panthers, who will need even more room to roam as the population continues to grow.

Defenders' Laurie Macdonald meets Corky, a rescued panther whose work as ambassador for the endangered cats reached thousands of Floridians.

Defenders: What advice can we give to Florida residents to help keep panthers on the road to recovery?

Laurie: As panthers go about their lives and raise their kittens, it’s important that we recognize how to prevent conflict situations, for instance, by securing pets and livestock at night rather than making domestic animals easy prey. And by driving carefully and watching out for wildlife, Floridians (and visitors!) can prevent panther injury and death, making the highways safer for all. This can be as simple as following day and nighttime speed limits and staying alert in case panthers or other wildlife— bear, deer, turtles, even birds— are trying to walk, crawl or fly across the road!

Learn more:

Be a part of the celebration! This Saturday, March 17, join Defenders and other Sunshine State residents at the Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge Open House. The day includes bird walks, buggy rides and tours through panther habitat. For more information, visit www.fws.gov/floridapanther.

Spring Break is around the corner. Make sure you’re ready for the road with these tips on how to drive safely in panther country.

New technology was unveiled yesterday with hopes of decreasing the number of Florida panthers killed while crossing the state’s fast-moving highways. The Florida Department of Transportation announced the completed installation of a Remote Animal Detection System (RADS) along a deadly stretch of US-41 in the state’s Big Cypress National Preserve near Turner River.

Big Cypress National Preserve is a stronghold for the Florida panther. But the roads that cross the preserve also make it a very dangerous place for the endangered cats, and the Turner River area is especially deadly for breeding females and their kittens. The RADS system uses solar powered sensors to detect when large animals, like panthers, are close to the road. The system then advises drivers to slow down with bright, flashing LED lights on six warning signs placed along the road.

Although the RADS system has been used in western states, primarily for larger mammals such as elk, this is the first time the tool is being used as a way to save panthers. The system will be monitored to determine whether it is effective in detecting big cats and can be used in other parts of the state.

Defenders of Wildlife partnered with the US Fish & Wildlife Service to obtain grant funding for this job. We will continue to work for long-term solutions,  such as increased awareness and law enforcement in the panther zones, to make this deadly stretch of road safer for wildlife and people.

Learn more:

See other ways we’re working to help the panther population rebound in the Sunshine State.

Although deer continue to be the number one victim of wildlife-vehicle collisions, accidents on the road impact a wide range of animals. In a 2007 study on wildlife-vehicle collisions, the Western Transportation Institute compiled a list of 21 federally listed threatened and endangered species in the United States for which direct road mortality is among the major threats to the survival. That list not only included mammals like the San Joaquin kit fox, Canada lynx and Florida panther, but even reptiles like the American crocodile and birds like the Florida scrub jay. Watch our video to see the full range of listed species.

Sadly, those are only the animals that are affected by direct collisions with vehicles. If the study had included other impacts of roads and associated development, such as habitat loss and fragmentation, that list would have been much, much longer.

Florida panther: Poster child for the road to extinction?

Extensive development has left Florida panthers with little room to roam and dangerous highways to cross in their wide-ranging quests for food and mates. Photo © Robert Repenning

With only an estimated 100 to 160 remaining in the wild, Florida panthers are one of the most endangered mammals in the world. Meant to range over large areas in search of food and mates, these cats are forced to crisscross the Sunshine State’s dangerous highways all too often. As a result, collisions with vehicles take a terrible toll on panthers—16 were killed on Florida roads in 2010, and a record-breaking 17 in 2009.

Fortunately, progress is being made to protect these big cats. Next week, builders will break ground on a Remote Animal Detection System (RADS) in Florida’s Big Cypress National Preserve. The preserve is a stronghold for the Florida panther, with the Turner River area specifically providing prime panther habitat. But the roads that cross the preserve also make it a very dangerous place for the endangered cats, especially breeding females and their kittens. By detecting large animals like panthers on the Turner River area of US 41 and alerting drivers of their presence, the system is intended to cut down on the amount of cats killed on the road.

Defenders is hopeful that the RADS project will raise awareness about the need to drive carefully and watch out for wildlife in Big Cypress National Preserve. We will continue to work for long-term solutions to make this deadly stretch of road safer for wildlife and people, from increased awareness and law enforcement in the panther zone to exploring the possibility of safe passage under and over busy roads.