General Characteristics

Range - Florida Panthers extend in Western Texas and throughout the southeastern states. Now found only in Florida.

Habitat -They live in Cypress swamps, pine, and hardwood hammock forests.

Description

Florida Panther is a  short, stiff dark brown pelage.  The mid-dorsal region is particularly rich in color, and has irregular white tiny mark on the head, back of their neck, and shoulders. On the middle of the back also. Florida panthers usually have a whorl of hair, or cowlick, which differs from the pattern of the rest of the hair. The limbs are long with small feet, and a right angle crook at the end of the tail. Head to tail Length  of  males are  7 feet (2 m) from nose to tip of tail / Females  are  6 feet (1.8 m) in length . Height of the Florida panther is   23-28 inches (60-70 cm).. The weight :of Males are 154 pounds (70 kg) / Females :are between 50 and 108 pounds (23-49 kg)

Reproduction

Florida panthers are seasonal breeders, with the season starting in October and continuing through March. The most part of having babies occur from November to March. Males reach sexual maturity at three years of age. While females become sexually mature between two and three years old. The gestation period is 90-95 days. Litters consist of between one to three kittens. Kittens become independent after one and-a-half year. As a result, females tend to breed every other year.

Behavior

Florida panthers are a solitary species. Adults are rarely seen together, except for during the breeding season. Home ranges can be rather large, and many times the ranges of different panthers overlap. Male home ranges, ranging from 200 km2 to 600 km2, tend to be larger than female home ranges, 100 km2 to 300 km2. Both species mark their territory with defecation and urination, as well as with scrapes. Scratches are small piles, about six inches long, of dirt and debris scraped up by the panther's hind feet. The scratches are usually urinated on, indicating the presence of the animal to others. They are made more often during breeding season, perhaps has a way to tell everybody she is ready to have babies.

Food Habits

It eats White -tailed deer's, wild hogs , rabbits, raccoon's, armadillo's and birds. They forage using stalk and pounce methods common among cats. Prey is approached slowly and attacked with short, high speed bursts. Large prey like deer are killed by biting the spinal cord on the top of the neck where the neck and head join. Kills are dragged to a concealed place for the panther to feed. The forequarters of the carcass are eaten first, and the rest is buried with grass and fed upon later. Florida panthers will spend approximately three to four days at a kill site.

Status - There used to be plentiful throughout other areas that I mentioned. Now they are available only in one area which is Florida. There are only 30-50 in  the wild  which are especially in Cypress Swamps.

Reason for the status -They are in the brink of extinction also. This is because of habitat loss and hunting. ,Increased  human development and population growth in Florida has led to habitat loss and collisions with vehicles.

What type of animal is it - It is a Carnivore.

Florida Panther from Phoenix Zoo