Are you a panther superfan? 😻

What's a Florida panther?
If you find yourself deep in the wilds of Florida, you could be lucky enough to spot a pair of yellow eyes, a tan coat, a long tail – in other words, a Florida panther!

Where can they be found?
Panthers are the only puma found east of the Mississippi River. Though they once roamed throughout the Southeast, they now occupy just five percent of their historic range and mostly live in Southwest Florida within the Greater Everglades. These cats are also a keystone species: They play a vital role in balancing their ecosystem, and they help maintain healthy deer and feral hog populations.

So what happened?
Widespread extermination nearly wiped out Florida panthers many years ago when early settlers arrived. Luckily, they were one of the first animals protected under the Endangered Species Act. We went from fewer than two dozen panthers in the wild in the 1970s to up to an estimated 230 panthers today.

However, these big cats are still highly endangered, and their greatest threat comes from development and fragmentation of their habitat. The largest source of panther mortality is deadly vehicle collisions as panthers try to cross dangerous roads that run through their habitats. Panthers need a large range of swamps, forests and pinelands to hunt and raise their kittens. Mixing wide-ranging cats with a sprawling network of roads is a recipe for disaster.

How can I help?
Superfans like us need to raise our voices to save the panthers! Defenders has worked for decades to oppose development and roads that break up vital habitat for panthers and other Florida wildlife. We also support the creation of wildlife corridors and crossing structures that allow animals to safely move under highways, and we’re fighting misconceptions about panthers to help people share the landscape and coexist with these animals.