Florida Panther- Missing
-South Florida faces the loss of the Puma concolor coryi-
The Puma concolor ranged throughout most of the south. They could be seen in Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, and Florida.
What to look for:
- Adults are a uniform tan color with lighter fur on their lower chests, belly, and inner legs
- Shades of individual animals may vary considerably from grayish to reddish to yellowish
- kittens are spotted, which helps to camouflage them in the shadows of their den
- Long round tails (nearly two-thirds the length of their head and body)
- Flat, broad, arched nasal bone is distinctive from other subspecies of cougar
Why should you care?
As the top predator in its South Florida habitat, the panther is a necessary element in regulating the food chain. Predatory hunting by panthers helps keep the numbers of its prey--deer, wild hogs, and raccoon--in balance.