Help Protect the Florida Panther

Dwindling habitat leaves less than 120 in the wild

The Florida panther is one of the most endangered animals on Earth, with only approximately 100 individuals remaining. Though the panther is protected by the Endangered Species Act, its habitat is not fully protected; the panther was added to the endangered list before federal law required designation of critical habitat areas. Today, the panther's habitat is rapidly shrinking with devastating results -- in 2009, a record number of 17 panthers were killed in auto collisions and another 3 were killed in territorial disputes.

Dead Cat Walking
Award-winning reporter and author Craig Pittman from the St. Petersburg Times writes about the plight of the Florida panther, struggling for survival. Read the articles and view the video here.

Attempts to re-establish the panthers have met with resistance. And though a recent U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) report outlined a panther recovery plan for safeguarding the panther's habitat, the FWS has not yet designated critical habitat for this imperiled animal. Click here to learn why the Conservancy of Southwest Florida and four other conservation groups filed suit against the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The Conservancy of Southwest Florida filed a legal petition with the U.S. Secretary of the Interior to provide additional protection for the endangered Florida panther. The petition called for using the best available science accepted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in designating critical habitat for the panther, providing additional review and protections under the Endangered Species Act.

In January 2010, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service declined to designate critical habitat for the Florida panther. (Click here to see the response to the Conservancy.)

The Conservancy of Southwest Florida and four other conservation groups have filed suit against the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for failing to designate this critical habitat. Click here for a copy of this suit.

Find out why designating primary habitat is important and how Habitat Conservation Plans (HCPs) proposed by landowners and developers fall short of protecting the panther by clicking here.

Save The Florida Panther Today.

Florida panthers are an "umbrella species" – the loss of their habitat means the loss of habitat important to many other imperiled species, as well as lands critical to preserving our water quality and drinking water supply. This is why the Conservancy of Southwest Florida urges you to take action to help save the Florida panther from extinction. Time is of the essence for the dwindling panther population.

Learn more about the Florida panther here. >>