Florida Panther Wildlife Management Plan
Summary
The Florida panther (Puma concolor coryi) once roamed throughout the eastern United States in the states of Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Arkansas, South Carolina, and Tennessee. Florida panthers were perceived as a threat to farmers and their livestock, because of this they were heavily hunted up to the 1950s. (Florida Panther: Species Profile, 2014) Due to declining numbers the Florida Wildlife Commission listed the Florida panther as a game species. (Florida Panther Recovery Plan, 2007, p.4) In 1967 the Florida panther was listed as endangered by the state of Florida (Florida Panther, panther habitat, endangered panther, and wildlife corridors) and in 1973it…show more content… (Florida Panther: Species Profile, 2014) One deer sized meal is consumed by an adult male Florida panther every 8-11 days and 14-17 day for a female. For a female Florida panther with a litter than one deer sized prey is consume on average of 3.3 days. (Florida Panther Recovery Plan, 2007, p.22) In order to eat the same amount of a white tailed deer, a Florida panther must kill an average of 10 raccoons. (Florida Panther: Species Profile,…show more content… Several female Florida panthers can be found in the territory of the male Florida panther. A male Florida panther does not mate with the same female every seen and from the months of November to March set out to find a mate. A female Florida panther is pregnant on average of 3 months. (Florida Panther: Species Profile, 2014) Births of Florida panther kittens usually occur within the months of March and June. Breeding age of a male Florida panther can be as early as 17 months and females as early as 18 months. Female Florida panthers give birth to 2-3 kittens on average. (Florida Panther Recovery Plan, 2007,