FLORIDA — Florida panthers are facing an uphill battle - thirty-six of these endangered cats have been killed this year and three of those were this week alone. That’s nearly three times more than last year and just six shy of the record high in 2016!
Fox 4’s Austin Schargorodski reached out to state conservationists to ask why there were so many panther deaths this year, and what can be done to protect them.
Watch Austin's report here...
The Florida Wildlife Corridor stretches up the center of the state, providing critical safe passages for panthers to move through their shrinking habitat. But, as development expands into these areas, Julianne Thomas, Senior Environmental Planning Specialist with the Conservancy of Southwest Florida, says it’s forcing the endangered cats to take dangerous risks.
Just yesterday, a two-year old male panther was hit and killed by a vehicle near the new sub-division Pulte Homes - Solis Grande.
“They have to find new places to live, and as they go out to find new homes they’re crossing more roads, and that’s putting them at risk for getting hit by cars which is the primary cause of death that we know of,” Thomas explained.
According to FWC, vehicle collisions account for 90% of documented panther deaths, and the Florida Panther Wildlife Federation says there’s only just over 200 panthers left in the state.
However, cars aren’t the only threat - Thomas says conservationists are monitoring a disease called feline leukomyelopathy, which impacts a panther’s ability to move and survive in the wild.
“With development coming in there is going to be a lot more interaction of people and their pets and wildlife and panthers. An increase in chemicals, herbicides and pesticides. There can also be more interaction between domestic pets and big cats which can transfer diseases,” said Thomas.
One potential solution? More Wildlife crossings. Thomas says these overpasses or underpasses allow panthers to cross highways safely, but developers need stricter timelines to build them.
“We’ve seen some places where wildlife crossings are required, but the timing wasn’t specified. So, even though the development is moving along and developing, they still haven’t put in their wildlife crossing,” said Thomas.
Traci Deen, CEO of Conservation Florida, argues the best way to protect panthers is by preserving their habitat. She says conserving land at a pace that matches development is crucial.
While Florida has ten-million acres of protected land, her organization has identified seven to eight million more acres that need to be saved. Thomas says these efforts not only protect panthers, but safeguard ecosystems for other species too.
“They’re called an umbrella species. When we protect the panther, we’re also protecting 25 other threatened and endangered species,” said Thomas.
