FL Panther Info =^^=

FLORIDA PANTHER
Felis concolor coryi
Range:	The remaining Florida panthers are restricted to southwestern Florida near Big Cypress National Preserve. Historical range: The Florida panther's range was once throughout Florida and the Southeast.	Road kills and illegal hunting account for some panther deaths but habitat loss is by far their greatest threat. They need large tracts of land with adequate prey to survive. Development, agriculture, roads and all-terrain vehicles threaten the panther. The small panther population is also negatively affected by inbreeding. The Florida panther has several features which reflect its predator lifestyle such as: a strong, heavy jaw; fur between toes to help muffle walking sounds; tiny, sharp, horny points on the tongue to help tear meat; vision that is well adapted for nighttime sight and motion detection; well developed sense of smell; acute hearing; and ears that can swivel to home in on sounds. Panthers are essentially solitary and nocturnal. The range of a male overlaps those of several females. Adults are rarely found together outside of breeding season. An adult panther may travel more than 19 miles in a single night. The name "panther" originally was the general name for large cats around the world, especially black cats. Early settlers who saw these cats at night may have thought they were black, hence t he name panther. Panther is also derived from the Greek word "leopard" because when panthers are young, they are spotted like true leopards. In 1982, the panther was designated the official mammal of the state of Florida.
Habitat:	Dense forests, swamps and hammocks
Diet:	Includes deer, wild hogs, raccoons, armadillos, rabbits, cotton rats, birds, alligators and carrion.
Status:	Endangered- only 30 to 50 animals remain in the wild.
Approximate Dimensions of Adult:	Weight: A male weighs 106-148 lbs. while a female weights 65-100 lbs. Length: 6 to 7 feet from nose to tail tip Height: 24 to 28 inches at shoulder
Lifespan:	n/a
Reproduction & Offspring:	n/a