Defenders of Wildlife Blog

Some people are just in the right place at the right time. And if they’re lucky, they might have a camera on hand.

That was the case with wildlife photographer Heather Green when she happened upon a mother panther and two cubs in the Fakahatchee Strand Preserve this week. And with her camera at her fingertips, she managed to capture the whole thing on film.

The St. Petersburg Times said, “It’s possible that more people have won the lottery than seen a panther.” It’s not hard to believe, with only 100-160 Florida panthers in the state. Green’s photo shoot of the family of three took place against all odds. Jackpot.

Today, people are celebrating Save the Florida Panther Day all across the Sunshine State. Click here to see where you can take part in the festivities.

Did the panthers plan their cameo appearance in anticipation this special day? Probably not. But as Green says, “In Florida, anything can happen.”

Click here to see Green’s pictures for yourself!

Listen to Defenders’ Elizabeth Fleming on Public News Service Radio.

NAPLES, Fla. – A proposal to create a new national wildlife refuge north of Lake Okeechobee could give a big boost to efforts to save the Florida panther.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service wants to designate the 150,000-acre Everglades Headwaters refuge as part of a greater effort to connect to the panther refuge in the south. So far, four public meetings have been held and public comment is being accepted until March 31.

Elizabeth Fleming, Florida representative of Defenders of Wildlife, says this proposal is different in that it features a public-private partnership.

“One-third of it would be acquired as public lands and a full two-thirds of it would remain in private ownership.”

Although numbers have been increasing, the latest estimates say there are still only 100 to 160 adult panthers in Florida.

Much of that land would remain under the control of the area ranchers. Fleming says her group is working on a way to compensate ranchers for any losses caused by panthers. Although numbers have been increasing, the latest estimates say there are still only 100 to 160 adult panthers in Florida.

Defenders' Elizabeth Fleming has been working to save FL panthers since 2004, when it was estimated that there were fewer than 100 big cats in the state.

A “Save the Panther Day” open house is planned from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at the Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge near Naples. Sandy Mickey, park ranger at the Florida Panther and Ten Thousand Islands national wildlife refuges, says these areas are instrumental in helping increase panther numbers.

“It certainly has rebounded and that’s thanks in part to habitat protection in south Florida, including the refuge which was established in 1989.”

As the panther population grows, Mickey says, people should never feed wildlife, watch out for wildlife while driving, secure pet food and garbage, and protect pets and livestock in enclosed structures – especially at night.

- Glen Gardner, Public News Service – FL

This weekend brought good news for the big cats of the southeast, just in time for this year’s Save the Florida Panther Week!

Legislators this month introduced a bill that would have allowed developers to build five golf courses in state parks throughout Florida. It was a move that threatened the parks and the rich array of wildlife that call them home — not only would it pave the way (quite literally) for future development of hotels, malls and other amenities to complement the courses, but golf courses themselves are notoriously unfriendly for the environment.

For one thing, golf courses are a huge drain on water resources, particularly in a state that frequently suffers drought. Add to the mix chemical fertilizers and pesticides, loudly whirring lawnmowers and increased traffic, and those 18 holes can be pretty disruptive. And who can say that the first five courses wouldn’t lead to five more? Funds and personnel for land, water and wildlife management in the state are already limited. The additional tasks of golf course grooming and facilities maintenance would make conservation efforts even more difficult.

Fortunately,  it didn’t take lawmakers long to see the light. The proposal was withdrawn only a week after its introduction, thanks to public outcry at the ill-advised plan. The South-Florida Sun Sentinel put it simply when it said of the Jack Nicklaus Golf Trail, “Don’t get us wrong. We love golf. Just not in state parks.”

Just another day of panther protection for Defenders' Laurie Macdonald (seen here with friend Corky)

Habitat loss due to development continues to be one of the biggest threats facing Florida panthers today. As the population slowly recovers, it is critical that the far-ranging cats have freedom to roam. Defenders is working to protect existing panther habitat throughout the state, as well as pursuing opportunities to return the cats to their historic range. As part of the Florida Panther Protection Program, we’re partnering with conservation groups and private landowners to protect large areas of private lands and connections to public conservation areas for the big cats as they head towards the road to recovery.

This weekend’s victory is a win not only for Florida panthers but a whole range of wildlife that call state parks home. And as Defenders’ Laurie Macdonald puts it, “This time, the appropriate eagle has won the game.”

Learn more:

This year, people are celebrating Save the Florida Panther Week all across the Sunshine State. Click here for more information.

Live in panther country? See how YOU can work to reduce the effects of human activities on recovering panther populations.

Daylight isn’t the only thing we’re saving this week! Yesterday kicked off the beginning of Save the Florida Panther Week, a seven day span dedicated to learning more about the threats facing big cats in the Sunshine State, and what YOU can do to help them.

Background and Threats:

Florida panthers historically ranged throughout the southeastern United States, but early persecution, hunting and continuing loss of habitat has relegated them to the southern tip of Florida. Narrowly avoiding extinction in the 1950s, recovering panther populations are small but growing, and now number somewhere between 100-160 cats.

Habitat loss continues to be the greatest danger to rebuilding panther populations today. A wide-ranging animal, an adult male can travel as many as 200 miles and still call the area home. In Florida, increased development means less room to roam for these big cats, and makes it more difficult for panthers to find prey, mates and suitable denning sites.

Collisions with vehicles is another major threat to panthers throughout the state. Last year, 16 of the 23 known panther deaths were attributed to road fatalities. Of the eight deaths that have already occurred in 2011, at least four of them were the results of run-ins with traffic.

Bad Omen or Fair Warning?

Earlier this month, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service had the sad task of declaring the eastern cougar, a relative of the Florida panther, extinct. A once-common big cat that roamed the eastern forests of the United States and helped maintain the diversity of its ecosystems, the eastern cougar had been on the endangered species list since 1973. Wildlife officials had questioned its existence for some time, but on March 2 made the tough decision to officially mark its disappearance.

Will the Florida panther meet a similar fate? Not if Defenders has anything to do with it! We will continue working to protect this iconic animal until its numbers are once again stable and healthy. YOU can help protect Florida panthers too. From slowing down on the road to storing garbage responsibly, we can all take steps to live safely alongside the big cats of America’s southeast.

Learn more:

This year, people are celebrating Save the Florida Panther Week all across the Sunshine State. Click here for more information.

Live in panther country? See how YOU can work to reduce the effects of human activities on recovering panther populations.